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Bureau of Mines Information Circular/1986 



Placer Gold Sampling in and 
Near the Chugach National 
Forest, Alaska 

By Robert B. Hoekzema and Steven A. Fechner 




UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 



Information Circular 9091 
It 



Placer Gold Sampling In and 
Near the Chugach National 
Forest, Alaska 

By Robert B. Hoekzema and Steven A. Fechner 




UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 
Donald Paul Model, Secretary 

BUREAU OF MINES 
Robert C. Norton, Director 



As the Nation's principal conservation agency, the Department of the Interior has 
responsibility for most of our nationally owned public lands and natural resources. This 
includes fostering the wisest use of our land and water resources, protecting our fish 
and wildlife, preserving the environment and cultural values of our national parks and 
historical places, and providing for the enjoyment of life through outdoor recreation. 
The Department assesses our energy and mineral resovirces and works to assure that 
their development is in the best interests of all our people. The Department also has 
a major responsibility for American Indian reservation communities and for people who 
live in island territories under U.S. administration. 







Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data 



Hoekzema, Robert B. 

Placer gold sampling in and near the Chugach National Forest, Alaska. 

(Information circularAJnited States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines ; 9091) 

Bibliography: p. 42 

Supt. of Docs, no.: I 28.27: 

1. Giold ores- Alaska— Chugach National Forest Region. 2. Placer deposits-Alaska- 
Chugach National Forest Region. 3. Chugach National Forest (Alaska) I. Fechner, 
Steven A. 11. Title. III. Series: Information circular (United States. Bureau of Mines) ; 9091. 

TN3»&Jid^ [TN413.A6] 622 s [553.4'1 '097983] 86-600059 



CONTENTS 



111 



Page 

Abstract 1 

Introduction 2 

Previous work 2 

Land status within the Chugach National Forest 2 

Acknowledgments 4 

Mining history and production 4 

Geology and mineralization 4 

Valdez Group 7 

Orca Group 7 

Younger Tertiary rocks 7 

Tertiary plutons 7 

Present investigations 7 

Literature research 7 

Field investigations 7 

Analjrtical methods 8 

Results 8 



Page 

T5rpes of placer deposits 8 

Origins, characteristics, and distribution of 

placer gold 9 

Placer gold mineral development potential and 

resource estimates 9 

Criteria used to assess placer gold mineral 
development potential of the Chugach 

National Forest 9 

Resource estimates 10 

Conclusions 10 

References 11 

Appendix A.— Placer deposit and sample data .... 12 

Appendix B.— Placer deposit descriptions 30 

Appendix C— Summary of placer gold deposit 

types 40 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

1. Index map of Alaska showing Chugach National Forest 2 

2. Land status map of Chugach National Forest 3 

3. Eight-inch suction dredge used to recover gold from Ingram Creek 5 

4. Backhoe-fed trommel washing plant used to recover gold from Mills Creek 5 

5. Geologic map of Chugach National Forest 6 

6. Typical channel sample used for evaluating placer deposits 8 

A-1. Index map for figures A-2 through A-13 17 

Placer deposit and sample location maps: 

A-2. Copper River Delta area 18 

A-3. Copper River area 19 

A-4. Scott Glacier area 20 

A-5. Tasnuna River area 21 

A-6. Orca Bay area 22 

A-7. Valdez area 23 

A-8. Unakwik Inlet 24 

A-9. Girdwood-Port Wells area 25 

A-10. Resurrection Creek-Canyon Creek area 26 

A-11. Kings Bay area 27 

A-12. Kenai Lake area 28 

A-13. Puget Bay area 29 



TABLES 



1. Estimated placer gold production and identified resources for selected drainages 

A-1. Sample results for placers PI through P102 

See also appendix B. 



4 
13 



IV 



ft 

gpm 

hp 

h 

in 

lb 

m.y. 

oz 



foot 

gallon per minute 

horsepower 

hour 

inch 

pound 

million years 

ounce 



iVIATIONS USED IN THIS REPORT 


oz/h 


ounce per hour 


oz/yd* 


ounce per cubic yard 


pet 


percent 


ppm 


part per million 


ppt 


part per thousand 


yd« 


cubic yard 


yd^/d 


cubic yard per day 


yr 


year 



PLACER GOLD SAMPLING IN AND NEAR THE 
CHUGACH NATIONAL FOREST, ALASKA 

By Robert B. Hoekzema^ and Steven A. Fechner^ 



ABSTRACT 



The Biireau of Mines and U.S. Geological Survey completed a 4-yr (1979-82) mineral 
appraisal of the Chugach National Forest (CNF), AK. This report summarizes the 
Bureau's placer gold studies in the CNF. 

Placer mining from the mid-1890's through 1982 produced an estimated 133,800 
oz of gold, of which two-thirds was produced prior to 1920. As much as 6,800 oz of placer 
gold was produced from 1979 to 1982. Most production came from Crow, Canyon, and 
Resurrection Creeks. Five types of placer gold deposits were identified in the CNF: (1) 
alluvial placers, (2) bench placers, (3) eluvial placers, (4) glacial placers, and (5) marine 
placers. 

Placer sampling indicated a potential for gold production from alluvial and bench 
placers associated with historically mined drainages such as Crow, Canyon, 
Resurrection, Sixmile, and Mills Creeks and from unmined drainages including the 
Avery, Kings, Snow, Copper, and Tasnuna Rivers and several smaller streams 
throughout the CNF. Results of fineness tests indicated that gold from the CNF ranges 
from 455 to over 950 fine. Subsequent investigations in drainages with anomalous placer 
sample values also identified previously unknown lode mineralization. 



'Supervisory physical scientist. 
'Physical scientist. 
Alaska Field Operations Center, Bureau of Mines, Anchorage, AK. 



INTRODUCTION 



A mineral resource investigation of the CNF (fig. 1) was 
conducted from 1979 to 1982 by an interagency team made 
up of personnel of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and 
the Bureau of Mines. The investigation was initiated under 
the Roadless Area Review and Evaluation (RARE II) 
program (Public Law 94-588). The USGS compiled and 
evaluated data on regional geology, geochemistry, and 
geophysics. The Bureau compiled data and conducted field 
investigations of mines, prospects, mineral occurrences, and 
areas of mineralization. Reports discussing geology and lode 
mineralization are available from the Bureau (If and USGS 
(2). This report summarizes the results of the Bureau's 
placer program, which included the collection and 
processing of 420 bulk placer samples, fineness 
determinations for 125 samples, and classification of placer 
deposits into 5 categories. 

PREVIOUS WORK 

The earliest works describing the placer gold deposits 
of the CNF were published by the USGS (3-5). Moffit (6) and 
Johnson (7) were the first to publish detailed descriptions 
of the placer gold deposits in the Hope-Sunrise and Valdez 
areas. Martin and others (S), Park (9), and Tuck {10) 
published reports on the geology and mining on the Kenai 



italic numbers in parentheses refer to items in the hst of references 
preceding appendix A. 



Peninsula and nearby areas. Cobb (11) published a map on 
placer deposits of Alaska. Tysdal (12) published a map 
showing the placer deposits of the Seward and Blying Sound 
quadrangles on the USGS 1:250,000 topographic map series. 
Hoekzema (13) and Fechner and Meyer (14) discussed the 
results of 1980 and 1981 Bureau placer sampling studies 
in the CNF. Sherman and Jansons (15) discussed the 
economic feasibility of placer mining in the CNF. 



LAND STATUS WITHIN THE CHUGACH 
NATIONAL FOREST 

The CNF encompasses portions of the Anchorage, 
Nelchina, Nizina, Prince William Sound, Yakataga, Hope, 
and Seward Mining Districts (16). Federal, State, and 
private lands (including native regional corporation 
selections) are present within the CNF (fig. 2). State land 
is located near Seward, Kenai Lake, Whittier, Valdez, and 
Cordova. Private land is located in the cities of Cordova, 
Valdez, and Seward; along the coast from Cordova to 
Valdez; and on Latouche, Evans, Knight, and Chenega 
Islands. Private inholdings are also scattered throughout 
the CNF, with the majority on the Kenai Peninsula. The 
remaining land is managed by the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service. 



Barn 



..M.^*^- • 




Chugach National Forest 





Al«ution 





FIGURE 1. Index map of Alaska showing Chugach National Forest. 




3 3 • - 



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n 

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B 

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(B 

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3 

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 



Niiinerous miners on the Kenai Peninsula cooperated 
with Bureau efforts during the study. The authors would 
especially like to thank the following for their contributions 
of data, time, and resources, which greatly helped to 
improve the study: Edward Ellis, Crescent Creek miner; 
George and Lillian Zimmer, Milo Flothe, and Robert Kelley, 
Quartz Creek miners; Al Johnson, president of Hope Mining 



Co., Resurrection Creek; Marty Marht, Falls Creek miner; 
Marvin Self, Mills Creek miner; Donald Goodman, Colorado 
Creek miner; Doug Keating, Cooper Creek miner; Barney 
and Cynthia Toohey, Crow Creek miners and operators; and 
Gary McCarthy, David Cavanaugh, and Gene Backus, Crow 
Creek miners. 



MINING HISTORY AND PRODUCTION 



The earliest recorded attempts to identify mineral 
resources in the CNF were made by Russian explorers in 
the mid-1800's. Peter Doroshin, a mining engineer sent by 
the Russian- American Co., reported finding widespread 
auriferous gravels along the Kenai River system in 1848, 
but was apparently unsuccessful in locating commercial 
quantities of gold. Grold placers were discovered on Mineral 
(P-25),'' Mills (P-63), Canyon (P-67), Resurrection (P-71), and 
other creeks in the 1800's and 1890's. Many prospectors 
originally bound for the Klondike goldfields were attracted 
by the gold discoveries in the Prince William Sound-Kenai 
Peninsula area. Evidence of past mining, such as wingdams, 
hydraulic pipes, mills, and workings, is common throughout 
the CNF. Barry (17) summarized the history of mining on 
the Kenai Peninsula. 

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) mining 
claim report dated October 19, 1984 (18) indicates that there 
are over 2,420 current placer claims in the CNF. 

Placer gold production figures for the CNF were 

'Numbers with letter prefix in parentheses reference placer gold deposits 
shown in appendix A maps and described in appendix B. 



compiled from records maintained by the Bureau and the 
U.S. Mint, USGS reports, smelter returns, and company 
data. 

Placer gold production in the CNF has been limited 
mostly to the Kenai Peninsula and Turnagain Arm 
drainages. The estimated production from these drainages 
is 133,800 oz Au (table 1), of which 67 pet was produced prior 
to 1920. There was a resurgence of mining activity when 
the price of gold rose from $20.67 to $35.00 per ounce in 
1934, but activity decreased dramatically with the advent 
of World War IL 

A rise in the price of gold in the 1970's led to renewed 
placer mining activity and gold production. Approximately 
35 gold placer operations, with a combined production of 
up to 6,800 oz, were intermittently active during the 
1979-82 mining seasons. The operations ranged from 4- to 
8-in suction dredges (fig. 3) and hand placer operations 
capable of processing 10 to 15 ydVd to backhoe-dozer- 
washing plant operations capable of processing as much as 
2,000 ydVd (fig. 4). Numerous recreational miners also work 
gold-bearing gravels along the streams, but their aggregate 
production probably does not exceed 100 oz/jt Au. 



GEOLOGY AND MINERALIZATION 



Most of the CNF is underlain by tightly folded and ex- 
tensively faulted metasedimentary rocks of the Cretaceous 
Valdez and Eocene Orca Groups. Younger Tertiary sedi- 



mentary rocks are exposed in the easternmost part of the 
CNF. Tertiary plutons are scattered throughout. The 
general geology of the CNF is shown in figure 5. 



Table 1.— Estimated placer gold production and Identified resources for selected drainages on Kenai Peninsula and 

Turnagain Arm, by decade 



Placer 


Drainage 








Estimated gold production 


, oz 








Identified 


number' 


Pre-1910 


1910-19 


1920-29 


1930-39 


1 940-49 


1950-59 


1960-69 


1970-79 


1980-82 


Total 


resources, 
103 yd3 


P-43 


Crow Creek 


23,000 
25,000 

8,000 

5,000 

2,000 

1 ,500 

1 ,000 

300 

300 

500 

250 

50 

500 


5,000 
10,000 

3,000 
500 
NA 
500 
500 

1,000 
100 
200 
100 
50 
500 


8,000 
3,000 

1,000 
100 

1,000 
NA 
NA 
NA 
NA 
NA 
NA 
NA 
50 


5,000 
2,000 

8,000 
500 

1,000 
NA 
100 
NA 
NA 
NA 
NA 
NA 
50 


500 
100 

1,000 
100 
NA 
NA 
NA 
NA 
NA 
NA 
NA 
NA 
NA 


500 
500 

1,000 
1,000 
NA 
NA 
NA 
NA 
NA 
NA 
100 
NA 
NA 


100 
100 

1,000 
100 
NA 
NA 
NA 
NA 
NA 
NA 
NA 
NA 
NA 


100 
200 

2,000 
150 

1,000 

100 

100 

50 

100 

Some 

100 

NA 

50 


300 
800 

1,800 

50 

500 

150 

50 

50 

300 

50 

100 

350 

600 


42,500 
41,700 

26,800 

7,500 

5,500 

2,250 

1,750 

1,400 

800 

750 

650 

450 

1,750 


1,000 


P-67, P-63 . 
P-71 

P-61 

P-70 


Canyon-Mills Creek . . . . 
Resurrection-Palmer 

Creek 

Lynx Creek 

Bear Creek 


2,000 

2,000 
1,000 
1,000 


P-68 

P-69 


Gulch-East Fork Creek . 
Sixmile Creek . . . 


ND 
3,000 


P-94, P-95 . 
P-74 


Cooper-Stetson Creek . . 
Quartz Creek 


ND 
750 


P-56 


Bertha Creek 


ND 


P-62 


Silvertip Creek 


1,000 


P-90 


Crescent Creek 

Others (15 areas) 

Total 


ND 
ND 




67,400 


21,450 


13,150 


16,650 


1,700 


3,100 


1,300 


3,950 


5,100 


133,800 


NAp 


NA Not available. NAp Not applicable. 


ND 


Not determined. 


'From 


maps in appendix A. 












FIGURE 3. Eight-inch suction dredge used to recover gold 
from Ingram Creek. 







FIGURE 4. Backhoe-fed trommel washing plant used to 
recover gold from Mills Creek. 



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VALDEZ GROUP 



YOUNGER TERTIARY ROCKS 



The Valdez Group crops out in the western and northern 
portions of the CNF as an arcuate-shaped band of rocks and 
consists primarily of a sUghtly metamorphosed, steeply dip- 
ping, marine clastic (flysch) sequence. Plafker, Jones, and 
Pessagno (19) speculate that these rocks accreted to the 
southern Alaska mainland during late Cretaceous and early 
Tertiary time. 

The Valdez Group hosts small, high-grade gold lodes. 
Streams draining this unit commonly contain gold-bearing 
gravels. All placer gold production in the CNF recorded 
prior to this study occurred from streams draining rocks 
of the Valdez Group. 



ORCA GROUP 

The Orca Group crops out in the central portion of the 
CNF as an arcuate-shaped band of rocks located immedi- 
ately east and south of the Contact Fault, which separates 
it from the Valdez Group (fig. 5). Orca Group rocks are 
similar in appearance and composition to those of the Valdez 
Group, but tend to contain more mafic volcanics. Plafker, 
Jones, and Pessagno (19) speculate that the rocks accreted 
to the southern Alaska mainland during the Paleogene 
epoch. 

The Orca Group rocks host numerous copper deposits 
and a few small, widely scattered gold lodes. Although 
historically no placer gold mines have been developed in 
Orca terrane, a few placer samples containing anomalous 
values of gold O0.0005 oz/yd^ Au) were collected during the 
1979-82 investigations from streams draining the group. 



Tertiary rocks, younger than the Orca Group, are pres- 
ent at Kayak Island and areas east of the Copper River. 
Younger rocks consist of unmetamorphosed siltstones, 
claystones, shales, sandstones, and basalt. The younger Ter- 
tiary strata include the Yakataga, Redwood, Poul Creek, 
Tokun, Kulthieth, and Stillwater Formations, plus un- 
divided sedimenteiry and volcanic rocks that were deposited 
on the Orca Group and its associated plutonic rocks diu-ing 
periods of marine transgression and regression (20). 

The younger Tertiary sedimentary rocks contain known 
deposits of subbituminous coal, oil, and gas. However, re- 
cent exploration has not resulted in the discovery of com- 
mercial quantities of hydrocarbons. 

TERTIARY PLUTONS 

Tertiary plutonic rocks were emplaced during two major 
and one minor intrusive episodes (2). On the basis of 
potassium argon dating, major episodes occurred at 50 to 
53 m.y. and 34 to 36 m.y. (2). Older plutons are generally 
medium-grained biotite and/or hornblende-biotite granite. 
Younger plutons, which occur in the western portion of the 
CNF along the Orca- Valdez contact, have multiple phases 
and range widely in composition from granitic to gabbroic. 
A minor episode of plutonism is represented by a 6-m.y.- 
old dacitic plug at the southern tip of Kayak Island (2). 

Lode gold mineralization in Valdez Group rocks is 
associated spatially with Tertiary plutons at many locations 
in the CNF. Streams draining these areas characteristically 
contain gold-bearing gravels and one. Crow Creek (P-43), 
has been the largest placer gold producer in the CNF. 



PRESENT INVESTIGATIONS 



Bureau studies of placer mineralization in the CNF 
began in 1979 and included literature research and related 
data compilation, a 4-yr field program, and evaluation of 
the data. 



LITERATURE RESEARCH 

A literature search and compilation of references were 
made using the following sovu-ces: USGS (including a review 
of historical files in Menlo Park, CA), Bureau files (including 
Minerals Availability System and Mineral Industry Loca- 
tion System files), U.S. Forest Service, State of Alaska, and 
mining companies that were active in the study area. Claim 
records were obtained and updated using the BLM (18) and 
State of Alaska MinFile reference systems (21). Additional 
information was obtained from interviews and cor- 
respondence with miners and individuals knowledgeable 
about the geology, mining history, and mineral development 
of the area. Much of the above information, together with 
recent data obtained by the Bureau and the USGS, has been 
placed in Bureau files that have been established for known 
mines, claims, and prospects in the study area. 

FIELD INVESTIGATIONS 

Field investigations of the CNF commenced in 1979 and 
continued during the 1980, 1981, and 1982 field seasons. 



Sluicing, hydraulic concentration, panning, and suction 
dredging techniques were used to collect 420 placer samples. 

The best available trap sites were sampled whenever 
possible. The usual sampling procedure consisted of hand 
digging a pit and processing 0.1 -yd* increments of gravel 
through a portable aliuninum mini sluice box or hydraulic 
concentrator or by panning. The sluice box measured 34 in 
long by 10 in wide and had 3/8-in-high transverse riffles 
resting on expanded metal on indoor-outdoor carpeting. 
Sixteen-inch-diameter pans were used. These recovery 
devices were used to process recent alluvial deposits adja- 
cent to the stream channels. The hydravilic concentrator con- 
sisted of a small grizzly attached to an aluminum mini 
sluice similar to the one described above. Water was 
pumped to the concentrating unit by a 125-gpm-rated pump 
coupled with a 3-hp engine. The concentrator was used to 
process bench gravels up to 150 ft from a stream. Wherever 
possible, channel samples of gravels were taken from sur- 
face to bedrock (fig. 6). Some bedrock was included in the 
lowermost segment of each channel sample whenever possi- 
ble. The efficiency of gold recovery using these techniques 
varied, depending upon the size and shape of the gold, the 
clay content of the gravels, and processing parameters such 
as rate of flow and gradient of the sluice box, but it generally 
exceeded 80 pet, based upon tests of tailings. 

Seventy -five 3-in suction-dredge samples were collected 
to evaluate gravel deposits in active stream channels. 
Suction-dredge sampling is most successful during periods 




FIGURE 6. 
deposits. 



Typical cliannel sample used for evaluating placer 



of low water. This method was of limited use during the 
1980 and 1981 field seasons due to unusually long periods 
of high water. Most of the samples were collected in the 
spring of 1982 during low- water conditions. The efficiency 
of gold recovery using the suction-dredging technique is 
highly variable. The method was used to obtain quick semi- 
quantitative estimates of the placer gold development poten- 
tial of the streams tested. Each sample was collected over 
a period of 0.5 to 1 h. Sample volumes varied from approx- 



imately 0.25 to 0.75 yd*, depending on the nature of the 
material sampled. An attempt was made to reach bedrock 
during each sampling effort. 

Bulk placer sampling combined with field processing 
is a viable method of testing for placer mineralization. Ad- 
vantages include the following: 

1. Results are quickly available. Immediate decisions 
can be made as to whether additional evaluation is war- 
ranted. (Lode sources of mineralization were successfully 
identified in the CNF in a followup study.) 

2. Samples are obtained at greater depths, and are of 
larger volume, than samples collected for stream-sediment 
or panned-concentrate analysis; therefore, bulk samples are 
likely to be more representative. Bulk samples are espe- 
cially useful for evaluating short, steep, youthful drainages 
in which heavy minerals are not readily concentrated. 

3. Cuts made for bulk samples allow samplers to ex- 
amine the surficial geology of the deposits in detail. 



ANALYTICAL METHODS 

Concentrates recovered from the sluices were hand 
panned to retain only the gold and heavy minerals, which 
were sent to the Bureau's Alaska Field Operations Center 
in Anchorage for further processing. Free gold coarser than 
0.01 in diam was separated from the concentrate by a 5-in 
magnet to remove the magnetic portion, and a blower brush 
was used to separate the remaining material from the gold. 
Finer grained gold was recovered by amalgamation. The 
gold and heavy-mineral concentrate were visually examined 
using a microscope and ultraviolet light to identify the 
heavy minerals and note any unusual characteristics of the 
gold. Gold from 324 samples was weighed, and gold from 
129 samples was sent to the Bureau's anal5i;ical laboratory 
in Juneau for semiquantitative multielement X-ray 
fluorescence spectrographic analysis for trace elements 
and/or fire assay to identify fineness. 

4. Large numbers of processed samples can be 
transported from remote areas by helicopter, whereas only 
one or two 300 to 400-lb unprocessed bulk samples can be 
carried at one time by most helicopters. 

5. Because much greater amounts of gravel are pro- 
cessed for bulk samples than for pan concentrates, larger 
quantities of gold are available for further laboratory 
analysis. 



RESULTS 



The Bureau's placer evaluation of the CNF consisted 
of (1) bulk sampling of most of the stream drainages, (2) 
classification of the types of placer deposits, (3) evaluation 
of the origin, characteristics, and distribution of placer gold, 
and (4) determination of the placer gold development poten- 
tial of each stream drainage sampled. 



TYPES OF PLACER DEPOSITS 

Gold placer deposits within the CNF can be classified 
into five categories: (1) alluvial, (2) bench, (3) eluvial, (4) 



glacial, and (5) marine. General characteristics, production 
history, and examples of eadi tjT)e of placer deposit are sum- 
marized in appendix C. Most of the gold from the CNF has 
been produced from alluvial placers, with less production 
from bench deposits. Eluvial and glacial placers have pro- 
duced only minor amounts of gold, but have potential for 
future development. Both deposit types contain 
disseminated gold that may be further concentrated by 
alluvial processes. Marine placers have potential for 
relatively large-scale development. Detailed descriptions of 
the major producing drainages and other areas with placer 
gold development potential are given in appendix B. 



ORIGINS, CHARACTERISTICS, AND 
DISTRIBUTION OF PLACER GOLD 

Placer gold in the CNF is believed to have originated 
by erosion and fluvial concentration of numerous small 
high-grade epigenetic gold lodes in Valdez Group 
metasedimentary rocks. Bedrock in the region has been ex- 
tensively eroded during at least five periods of Pleistocene 
glaciation (22). Gold placers have been developed during 
preglacial and interglacial stages as well as since the last 
glacial advance. The preservation of preglacial and in- 
terglacial placers was dependent largely upon their loca- 
tion relative to subsequent glacial scour. Several deposits 
of this type, recognized by their relatively high degree of 
compaction and cementation, have been identified in the 
Girdwood and Kenai Peninsula areas at Crow Creek (P-43), 
Mills Creek (P-63), and possibly Quartz Creek (P-74). The 
time elapsed since the last glacial stage and minor 
postglacial advances has been insufficient to allow the 
development of large high-grade placer deposits in the CNF 
such as those found in interior Alaska. Most streams are 
actively downcutting due to isostatic rebound. Portions of 
many drainages are characterized by steep narrow canyons 
with abundant falls and cascades. Past production has come 
mostly fi-om small, occasionally high-grade placers in cur- 
rent stream valleys. 

Placer gold in the CNF is generally fine-grained (<0.1 
in diam) and flaky. However, coarser gold, including nug- 
gets weighing as much as several ounces, has been 
recovered from Crow (P-43), Gulch (P-68), and Bear (P-70) 
Creeks. 

A total of 129 samples of gold flakes and nuggets were 
tested for fineness (appendix A). Results indicated that the 
gold ranged from 455 to over 950 fine, with the balance of 
the samples ranging from 770 to 850 fine. Silver, copper, 
and traces of other elements made up the remainder of the 
fineness values. Gold-to-silver ratios calculated for gold 
recovered fi-om placer samples collected in the CNF ranged 
fi"om 0.8 to 492.5 and are listed in appendix A along with 
the samples' respective gold, silver, and base metal contents. 
Preliminary data suggested that gold fineness increases 
with distance from soiirce, as does the gold-to-silver ratio. 
Additional work is needed to relate placer gold deposits to 
specific source area(s) and to determine whether gold-to- 
silver ratios can be related to distance from source. 

Grold samples collected from several drainages, in- 
cluding Quartz (P-74) and Cooper (P-94) Creeks, have 
variable gold contents. Many placer samples examined 
under the microscope appear to contain more than one t5T)e 
of gold on the basis of color and shape. The data suggest 
multiple source areas of gold in some of the drainages. 

The locations of all historically mined drainages, 
together with those previously not known to have placer 
gold potential, are shown in figures A-1 through A-13 of 
appendix A, and these drainages are described in appen- 
dix B. Bulk placer sampling methods were highly effective 
in identifying high-grade (M).02 oz/yd^ Au) placer deposits 
on historically producing streams such eis Crow (P-43), Mills 
(P-63), Canyon (P-67), Sixmile (P-69), Quartz (P-74), Cres- 
cent (P-90), and Cooper (P-94) Creeks. Samples from these 
creeks contained fi*om 0.002 oz/yd^ Au to more than 1 oz/yd^ 
Au. 

Samples collected from several drainages previously not 
known to have placer gold potential contained placer gold 
values ranging from 0.002 to 0.15 oz/yd^ Au. These 
drainages were the Copper River (P-2), Tasnuna River (P-6), 



Marshall Glacier (P-8), Bench Creek (P-11), Brown Creek 
(P-14), Port Fidalgo (P-17), Silver Lake (P-22), Salmon Creek 
(P-23), Northwest Fork of Coghill River (P-32), an unnamed 
glacial drainage (P-33), Avery River (P-36), Siwash Bay 
Creek (P-37), and Kings River (P-80 and P-81). 

The presence of placer gold in a drainage may reflect 
nearby lode gold sources. Placer data suggests the presence 
of three mineralized belts in the CNF. Two of the belts strike 
north-northeast and occur as limonite-stained units in the 
Valdez Group cut by numerous felsic dikes, sills, and sulfide- 
bearing quartz veins. One belt extends northeast from the 
toe of Wolverine Glacier along both sides of the Kings River 
to Blackstone Glacier. The second was traced 12 miles 
northeast from Davis Lake to the headwaters of Unakwik 
Inlet. The third belt strikes east-west and extends from 
Miners Bay on the west to the headwaters of the Bremner 
River on the east. Portions of these areas have recently been 
exposed by retreating glaciers, so they were incompletely 
prospected during the heavy exploration period of the early 
1900's. 

PLACER GOLD MINERAL DEVELOPMENT 
POTENTIAL AND RESOURCE ESTIMATES 

Appendix B summarizes the geology, mining history, 
and placer gold development potential of 102 drainages in 
the CNF. Based upon the criteria described below, 44 
drainages have moderate or high mineral development 
potential for placer gold production. 

Criteria Used To Assess Placer Gold Mineral 
Development Potential 

Grades are described as follows: 

Highly anomalous-Recovered values higher than 0.005 
oz/yd' Au 

Anomalous-Recovered values from 0.0005 to 0.005 
oz/yd* Au 

Background-Recovered values less than 0.0005 oz/yd' 
Au 

Mine size and grade assumptions used for resource 
assessments were as follows: 

Small (includes suction dredges)-<500 ydVd processed; 
grade->0.015 oz/yd' Au 

Medium-500 to 2,000 yd^/d processed; grade->0.010 
oz/yd^ Au 

Large->2,000 yd'/d processed; grade-0.007 oz/yd* Au 

The three categories of development potential used in 
appendix B are explained below. 

High Development Potential 

Grade. -Highly anomalous samiples collected and/or cur- 
rent production indicates a high probability that minable 
grades exist. 

i?eseri;es. -Established; or sampling indicates geologic 
conditions offer a high probability of establishing reserves 
to supply a mine of given size. 

Study recommendations.-Site-specific evaluation in- 
cluding strong recommendation for drilling and/or pit 
sampling. Excellent chance for identifying a minable 
reserve. 



10 



Moderate Development Potential 

Grade. -A single highly anomalous sample and/or 
anomaloiis samples indicating possibility that minable 
grades exist. 

Reserves. -No established reserves. Geologic conditions 
are conducive for establishing enough reserves to supply 
mine of given size. 

Study recommendations. -Additional reconnaissance 
and/or site-specific evaluation recommended. Reasonable 
chance for identifying a minable reserve. 

Low Development Potential 

Grade. -Anomalous samples not obtained. No indica- 
tions that minable grades are present. 

Reserves. -No established reserves. Geologic conditions 
are poorly suited for establishing reserves to supply a mine 
of given size. 

Study recommendations. -Additional reconnaissance 
would have little possibility of identifying a minable 
reserve. 



Undetermined Development Potential 

No sample results, or available sample results are in- 
conclusive. Additional reconnaissance is recommended 
before development potential is determined. 



Resource Estimates 

Order-of-magnitude resource estimates of gravel were 
made for streams, or portions of streams, having moderate 
to high potential for placer gold mineral development. 
Resovu-ce estimates were derived by multiplying the length 
of the stream section being evaluated by the average width 
of the flood plain (as identified from available maps and in- 
formation obtained diu-ing traverses) by the average depth 
of gravel. Average depths used were based upon field obser- 
vation as much as possible, but at times were estimated. 
The results of these estimates are listed in table 1 and in 
appendix B. 



CONCLUSIONS 



Regional studies carried out from 1979 to 1982 in and 
near the Chugach National Forest evaluated the types of 
placer deposits present; the origins, characteristics, and 
distribution of placer gold; and the placer gold mineral 
development potential of all named drainages and most of 
their significant tributaries in the CNF. 

Bulk placer sampling indicated that anomalous placer 
gold occurs in most drainage basins underlain by Valdez 
Group rocks. Although the highest gold values and most 
of the production has been from alluvial and bench deposits, 
the eluvial, glacial, and marine deposits may locally con- 
tain significant amounts of gold. Forty -four drainages have 
moderate to high placer gold mineral development poten- 
tial. The highest concentrations of placer gold were iden- 



tified in streams that have previously been mined for placer 
gold. 

Results from gold fineness determinations indicated 
that gold ranged from 455 to over 950 fine in the CNF, with 
the balance of the samples ranging from 770 to 850 fine. 

Lode mineral occurrences were discovered by following 
up metal anomalies identified in placer samples. Placer 
samples can be used as very large pan concentrates to suc- 
cessfully detect anomalous base metals or precious metals 
in stream gravels collected from the numerous short, steep, 
and poorly graded drainages in which heavy particles have 
not had the time needed to concentrate because of recent 
glaciation. 



11 



REFERENCES 



1. Jansons, U., R. B. Hoekzema, J. M. Kurtak, and S. A. Fechner. 
Mineral Occurrences in the Chugach National Forest, Southcen- 
tral Alaska. BuMines MLA 5-84, 1984, 43 pp.; 2 map sheets. 

2. Nelson, S. W., D. F. Barnes, J. A. Dumoulin, R. J. Goldfarb, 
R. A. Koski, M. L. Miller, C. G. Mull, W. J. Pickthom, U. Jansons, 
R. B. Hoekzema, J. M. Kurtak, and S. A. Fechner. Mineral Resource 
Potential of the Chugach National Forest, South-Central Alaska. 
U.S. Geol. Surv. Misc. Field Stud. Map MF-1645A, 1984, 24 pp.; 
1 sheet. 

3. Becker, G. F. Reconnaissance of the Gold Fields of Southern 
Alaska, With Some Notes on General (Jeology. U.S. Geol. Surv. 
18th Annu. Rep., pt. 3a, 1898, pp. 1-86. 

4. Mendenhall, W. C. A Reconnaissance From Resurrection Bay 
to the Tanana River, Alaska, in 1898. U.S. Geol. Surv. 20th Annu. 
Rep., pt. 7c, 1900, pp. 265-340. 

5. Schrader, F. C. A Reconnaissance of Part of Prince William 
Sound and the Copper River District, Alaska, in 1898. U.S. Geol. 
Surv. 20th Annu. Rep., pt. 7, 1900, pp. 341-424. 

6. Moffit, F. H. Gold Placers of Turnagain Arm, Cook Inlet. U.S. 
Geol. Surv. Bull. 259, 1905, pp. 90-99. 

7. Johnson, B. L. The Gold and Copper Deposits of the Port 
Valdez District, Alaska. U.S. Geol. Surv. Bull. 622, 1915, pp. 
140-188. 

8. Martin, G. C, B. L. Johnson, and U. S. Grant. Greology and 
Mineral Resources of the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. U.S. Geol. Surv. 
Bull. 587, 1915, 243 pp. 

9. Park, C. F., Jr. The Girdwood District, Alaska. U.S. Geol. Surv. 
Bull. 849-G, 1933, pp. 381-424. 

10. Tuck, R. The Moose Pass-Hope District, Kenai Peninsula, 
Alaska. U.S. Geol. Surv. Bull. 849-1, 1933, pp. 469-527. 

11. Cobb, Edward H. Placer Gold Occurrences in Alaska. U.S. 
Geol. Svirv. Open File Rep. 81-1326, 1981, 33 pp. 

12. Tysdal, R. G. Placer Deposits of Seward and Blying Sound 



Quadrangles, Alaska. U.S. Geol. Surv. Misc. Field Stud. Map 
MF-880-B, 1978. 

13. Hoekzema, R. B. Placer Sampling and Related Bureau of 
Mines Activities on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. BuMines OFR 
138-81, 1981, 28 pp.; 1 map sheet. 

14. Fechner, S. A., and M. P. Meyer. Placer Sampling and Related 
Bureau of Mines Activities in the SOUND Study Area of the 
Chugach National Forest, Alaska. BuMines MLA 62-82, 1982, 25 
pp. 

15. Sherman, G. E., and U. Jansons. Feasibility of Gold and Cop- 
per Mining in the Chugach National Forest, Alaska. BuMines OFR 
125-84, 1983, 55 pp. 

16. Ransome, A. L., and W. H. Kerns. Names and Definitions 
of Regions, Districts, and Subdistricts in Alaska. BuMines IC 7679, 
1954, 91 pp. 

17. Barry, M. J. A History of Mining on the Kenai Peninsula, 
Alaska. Northwest Publ. Co., 1973, 214 pp. 

18. U.S. Bureau of Land Management (Dep. Interior). Mining 
Claim Report, Window 340, Chugach National Forest. Oct. 19, 1984, 
279 pp. 

19. Plafker, G., D. L. Jones, and E. A. Pessagno, Jr. A Cretaceous 
Accretionary Flysch and Melange Terrane Along the Gulf of Alaska 
Margin. Sec. in U. S. Geological Survey in Alaska: Ac- 
complishments During 1976, ed. by K. Blean. U.S. Geol. Surv. Circ. 
751-B, 1977, pp. B41-B43. 

20. Winkler, G. R., and G. Plafker. Geologic Map and Cross Sec- 
tions of the Cordova and Middleton Island Quadrangles, Southern 
Alaska. U.S. Geol. Surv. Open File Rep. 81-1164, 1981, 25 pp. 

21. Alaska Department of Natural Resources. Anchorage, Bly- 
ing Sound, Cordova, Seward, and Valdez Quadrangles (Minflle 
Reference System). 1984, 5 microfiche. 

22. Karlstrom, T. N. V. Quaternary Geology of the Kenai 
Lowland and Glacial History of the Cook Inlet Region, Alaska. U.S. 
Geol. Surv. Prof. Paper 443, 1964, 69 pp. 



12 



APPENDIX A.— PLACER DEPOSIT AND SAMPLE DATA 



Table A-1 gives detailed results of the Bureau's field 
investigation of CNF placer deposits. Data are reported for 
samples from numerous locations througout the CNF. 



The locations of the placer deposits and sample sites 
listed in table A-1 are shown in figvires A-1 through A- 13 
(maps). 



Table A-1.— Sample results for placers P-1 through P-102 



Placer 
number^ 


Placer 
name 


Sample location 
Figure Site 


Sample Sample Gold, 
type size, yd^ oz/yd^ 


Gold composition, ppt 
Gold Silver Base 


Ratio, 

- gold to 

silver 


Comments, including 
sample quality^ 



P-1 Whale 

NAp .... Copper River 
P-2 do 



NAp 
P-3. 
P-4. 
P-5. 
NAp 
P-6. 



NAp. 
P-7.. 



Copper River tributary . 

Shiels Glacier 

Copper River tributary . 

McCune Glacier 

Whiting Falls 

Tasnuna River 



Copper River tributary . 
Cleave Creek 



P-8.. 
P-9.. 
P-10. 
P-11. 
P-1 2. 
P-1 3. 

P-1 4. 

P-1 5. 
P-1 6. 
P-1 7. 



P-1 8. 
P-1 9. 
P-20. 
NAp. 
P-21. 
P-22. 
P-23. 
P-24. 
P-25. 
P-26. 
P-27. 
P-28. 
NAp. 
P-29. 
P-30. 
P-31 . 
P-32. 



P-33. 
P-34. 
P-35. 
P-36. 



Marshall Glacier . 
Deserted Glacier 
Heiden Creek . . . 
Bench Creek . . . 
Wortmann Creek 
Lowe River 



Brown Creek 

Dead Creek . 
Red Head . . . 
Port FIdalgo . 



Black Bear 

Sulfide Gulch 

Solomon Gulch 

Port Fidalgo tributary . 
Jack Bay tributary . . . 

Silver Lake 

Salmon Creek 

Rainy Day 

Mineral Creek 

Gold Creek 

McAllister Creek . . . . 

Big Creek 

Anderson Pass 

Lake No. 1 

Columbia Glacier . . . . 

Miners River 

Coghill River 



Unakwik Inlet . . . 
Lafayette Glacier 

Jonah Bay 

Avery River .... 



P-37 Siwash Bay 



P-38. 
NAp. 
NAp. 



Eagiek Bay . . 
Mount Doran 
Battles Bay . . 



A-2 
A-2 
A-3 
A-3 
A-3 
A-3 
A-3 
A-3 
A-3 
A-3 
A-3 
A-3 
A-5 
A-5 
A-5 
A-5 
A-5 
A-5 
A-5 
A-5 
A-5 
A-5 
A-5 
A-5 
A-5 
A-5 
A-5 
A-5 
A-7 
A-5 
A-7 
A-7 
A-6 
A-7 
A-7 
A-7 
A-7 
A-7 
A-7 
A-7 
A-7 
A-7 
A-7 
A-7 
A-7 
A-7 
A-7 
A-7 
A-7 
A-7 
A-7 
A-7 
A-7 
A-7 
A-8 
A-8 
A-8 
A-8 
A-8 
A-8 
A-8 
A-8 
A-8 
A-8 
A-8 
A-8 
A-8 
A-8 
A-9 
A-9 
A-9 



1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
10 
10 
6 
7 
8 
9 
11 
12 
18 
19 
20 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
21 
22 
24 
25 
28 
23 
35 
27 
34 
29 
28 
30 
31 
31 
32 
33 
33 
NS 
36 
37 
38 
39 
40 
41 
NS 
NS 
42 
43 
44 
45 
46 
47 
48 
49 
50 
51 
52 
53 
54 
55 
56 
56 
56 
57 
57 
58 
59 
60 
60 



Pan . 

Pan . 

Pan . 

Pan . 

Pan . 

Pan . 

Pan . 

Pan . 

Sluice 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 

Pan . 

Sluice 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 

Pan . 

Sluice 

Pan . 

Sluice 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 

NS.. 

Sluice 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 

NS.. 

NS.. 

Sluice 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
do 
.do 
.do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
.do 
.do 

Pan . 



07 



02 



02 



NS 



NS 
NS 



006 



{') 
0.0002 
.0001 
.0008 
.005 
.0008 
.0005 
.002 
.0002 
.0007 
.0009 
.0006 
.0002 
.0003 
.0005 
.0008 
.028 
.0001 
.0003 
.0014 
.0004 
.0001 
.15 
.0005 
.0005 
.002 
.0003 
.0004 
.0002 
.0005 
.019 
.0007 
.0002 
.0003 
.0007 
.002 
.0002 
.0003 
.004 

NS 
.0002 
.0008 
.0004 
.0012 
.002 
.0075 
NS 
NS 
.0005 
.001 
.0005 
.0003 
.0005 
.0005 
.005 
.0004 
.0063 
.0011 
.0021 
.001 
.0013 
.0002 
.0083 
.0016 
.0001 
.0036 
.0009 
.001 
.0001 
.0009 
.018 



NS 
971 
992 
994 
904 
985 
705 
990 
1,000 
NS 
954 
1,000 
800 
960 
898 
706 
857 
958 
843 
935 
967 
882 
909 
925 
656 
895 
958 
592 
962 
855 
NS 
964 
812 
989 
1,000 
948 
932 
965 
855 
NS 
NS 
940 
976 
918 
477 
835 
NS 
NS 
939 
886 
759 
988 
849 
896 
455 
NS 
799 
NS 
NS 
NS 
NS 
NS 
822 
NS 
NS 
NS 
NS 
NS 
NS 
NS 
NS 



NS 
29 
8 
6 
45 
2 
91 
10 

NS 
43 

NS 
40 
40 
74 
NS 
24 
157 
33 
33 
118 
91 
14 
344 
54 
42 
408 
38 
32 
NS 
18 
31 
11 

41 
68 
35 
32 
NS 
NS 
28 
16 
57 
70 
165 
NS 
NS 
38 
46 
87 
12 
151 
8 
545 
NS 
83 
NS 
NS 
NS 
NS 
NS 
73 
NS 
NS 
NS 
NS 
NS 
NS 
NS 
NS 



NS 







51 

13 

204 





NS 

3 



NS 



62 

220 

NS 

18 



32 







61 



51 







113 

NS 

18 

157 





11 





113 

NS 

NS 

32 

8 

25 

453 



NS 

NS 

23 

68 

154 





96 



NS 

118 

NS 

NS 

NS 

NS 

NS 

105 

NS 

NS 

NS 

NS 

NS 

NS 

NS 

NS 



NS Marine, beach; poor. 

33.5 Marine, sand bar; fair. 
124 Alluvial fan; poor. 
165.6 Gravel bar; good. 

20.1 Do. 
492.5 Do. 

7.7 Do. 

99.0 Bedrock; excellent. 
NAp Alluvial fan; poor. 

NS Do. 

22.2 Gravel bar; poor. 
NAp Do. 

NS Alluvial fan; poor. 

24 Gravel bar; fair. 

22.4 Do. 
9.5 Do. 

NS Bedrock; excellent. 

39.9 Alluvial fan; poor. 

5.4 Do. 

28.3 Gravel bar; fair. 
29.3 Do. 

7.5 Do. 

10 Gravel bar; good. 

66.1 Do. 
1.9 Do. 

16.6 Do. 

22.8 Do. 

1.4 Gravel bar; poor. 
25.3 Do. 

26.7 Do 
NS Do. 

53.5 Gravel bar; fair. 

26.2 Marine, beach; fair. 

89.9 Gravel bar; fair. 
NAp Do. 

23.1 Do. 

13.7 Do. 

27.6 Do. 

26.7 Do. 
NS NS. 

NS Alluvial fan; poor. 

33.6 Near bedrock; good. 
61 Gravel bar; fair. 
16.1 Do. 

6.8 Alluvial fan; good. 
5.1 Do. 

NS NS. 

NS NS. 

24.7 Bench; poor. 

19.3 Alluvial fan; fair. 
8.7 Gravel bar; good. 

82.3 Alluvial fan; fair. 

5.6 Do. 

112 Gravel bar; fair. 
.8 Do. 

NS Do. 

9.6 Bedrock; excellent. 

NS Gravel bar; fair. 
NS Do. 

NS Gravel bar; good. 

NS Alluvial fan; fair. 

NS Gravel bar; poor. 

11.3 Gravel bar; good. 
NS Do. 

NS Gravel bar; fair. 
NS Do. 

NS Bedrock; poor. 

NS Gravel bar; fair. 
NS Do. 

NS Bedrock; fair. 

NS Bedrock; good. 



See footnotes at end of table. 



Table A-1.— Sample results for placers P-1 through P-1 02— Continued 



13 



Placer 
number^ 



Placer 
name 



Sample location 



Figure 



Site 



Sample Sample 
type size, yd^ 



Gold, 
oz/yd3 



Gold composition, ppt 
Gold Silver Base 



Ratio, 
gold to 
silver 



Comments, including 
sample quality^ 



P-39 . 


. Pirate Cove 


A-9 
A-9 


61 
62 


Sluice . 
..do .. 


0.1 


0.001 
.0009 


NS 
NS 


NS 
NS 


NS 
NS 


NS 
NS 


Gravel bar; fair. 


NAp.. 


. Culross Mine 


Bedrock; good. 


P-40. 


. Billings Creek 


A-9 


63 


Dredge 
Sluice . 


51 


6.0014 


664 


157 


179 


4.2 


Do. 


P-41.. 


. Carmen River, North Fork . . 


A-9 


64 




.0014 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; good. 


P-42.. 


. Twentymile River 


A-9 


65 


..do .. 




.0001 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; poor. 






A-9 


66 


..do .. 




.0035 


839 


24 


137 


35 


Gravel bar; fair. 






A-9 


66 


Pan . . . 


'02 


.0065 


805 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bedrock; good. 






A-9 


67 


Sluice . 




.0007 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; fair. 






A-9 


67 


Pan . . . 


!012 


.0037 


871 


58 


71 


15 


Bedrock; excellent. 






A-9 


68 


Sluice . 




.0005 


810 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bedrock; good. 


NAp. . 


. Raven Creek 


A-9 


69 


..do .. 




.0017 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; fair. 


P-43. . 


. Crow Creek 


A-9 


70 


Dredge 
Sluice . 


5.67 


6.0003 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; poor. 
Gravel bar; fair. 






A-9 


71 




.0013 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 






A-9 


72 


..do .. 




.0042 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bench; good. 






A-9 


73 


..do .. 




.0127 


711 


154 


135 


4.6 


Bedrock; fair. 






A-9 


73 


Pan . . . 


5^5 


6.012 


744 


206 


50 


3.6 


Bedrock; good. 






A-9 


73 


Sluice . 




.144 


719 


209 


72 


3.4 


Bedrock; fair. 






A-9 


73 


..do .. 




.0021 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; excellent. 






A-9 


74 


..do .. 




.039 


715 


206 


79 


3.5 


Bench; good. 






A-9 


74 


..do .. 




1.17 


706 


248 


46 


2.8 


Bench; bedrock; excellent. 


P-44. . 


. Winner Creek 


A-9 
A-9 


75 
75 


..do .. 
Pan . . . 


=4 


.0283 
5.002 


716 
709 


213 
229 


72 
63 


3.4 
3.1 


Bench; good. 






Do. 


P-45. . 


. California Creek 


A-9 
A-9 


76 
76 


Sluice . 
. . do . . 




.0006 
.0007 


NS 
NS 


NS 
NS 


NS 
NS 


NS 
NS 


Bench; fair. 






Do. 


P-46. . 


. Kern Creek 


A-9, A-1 
A-9, A-1 
A-9, A-1 


77 


..do .. 
..do .. 
Dredge 


5l' 


6.0004 


NS 
NS 
NS 


NS 
NS 
NS 


NS 
NS 
NS 


NS 
NS 
NS 


Gravel bar; poor. 
Do. 


P-47. . 


. Peterson Creek 


P-48. . 


. Sawmill Creek 


Gravel bar; fair. 






A-9, A-1 


77 


Pan . . . 


.05 


.0029 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bedrock; good. 


P-49. . 


. Seattle Creek 


A-9, A-1 
A-9, A-1 


78 
78 


Sluice . 
..do .. 




.001 
.0048 


NS 
NS 


NS 
NS 


NS 
NS 


NS 
NS 


Bench; fair. 






Do. 






A-9, A-10 


79 


Dredge 


5l' 


6.0001 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bedrock; fair. 






A-9, A-1 


80 


..do .. 


51 


6.0029 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Do. 






A-9, A-10 


80 


..do .. 


51 


6.0048 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bedrock; good. 






A-9, A-10 


80 


Pan . . . 


.01 


.0136 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bedrock; excellent. 






A-9, A-10 


81 


Dredge 


51 


6.0014 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bedrock; good. 






A-9, A-10 


81 


Pan . . . 


.02 


.0301 


735 


96 


169 


7.7 


Bedrock; excellent. 






A-9, A-10 


82 


Dredge 


51 


6.0009 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bedrock; good. 


P-50 . . 


. Ingram Creek 


A-9, A-10 


(3) 


Sluice . 


.1 


C) 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; poor. 
Bedrock; good. 
Bedrock; poor. 


P-51 . . 


. Wolverine Creek 


A-9, A-10 
A-9, A-10 


\ / 

83 
83 


Dredge 
. .do .. 


51 
51 


6.0036 
6.0018 


748 
NS 


68 
NS 


184 
NS 


11 
NS 






P-52 . . 


. Tincan Creek 


A-9, A-10 
A-9, A-10 


84 
84 


..do .. 
Sluice . 


51 
.1 


6.0114 
.0023 


NS 
NS 


NS 
NS 


NS 
NS 


NS 
NS 


Bedrock; fair. 






Bedrock; good. 


P-53 . . 


. East Fork and 
























Granite Creeks 


A-10 
A-10 


92 
93 


. .do . . 
..do .. 


.1 
.1 


.001 
.0005 


NS 
NS 


NS 
NS 


NS 
NS 


NS 
NS 


Gravel bar; fair. 






Bench; fair. 






A-10 


127 


Pan . . . 


.006 


.025 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bedrock; good. 






A-10 


127 


Sluice . 


.1 


.0267 


800 


106 


94 


7.5 


Gravel bar; good. 






A-10 


127 


..do .. 


.1 


.032 


789 


107 


104 


7.4 


Do. 






A-10 


127 


Pan . . . 


.01 


.05 


788 


108 


103 


7.3 


Bedrock; excellent. 






A-10 


127 


Sluice . 


.1 


.0035 


810 


85 


105 


9.5 


Bench; good. 






A-10 


127 


. . do . . 


.1 


.0032 


797 


154 


49 


5.2 


Do. 






A-10 


127 


..do .. 


.1 


.0019 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bench; fair. 






A-10 


127 


..do .. 


.1 


.0082 


802 


130 


68 


6.2 


Bedrock; good. 






A-10 


127 


..do .. 


5.4 


6.0042 


802 


118 


80 


6.8 


Bench; poor. 


P-54 . . 


. Lyon Creek 


A-9, A-10 


85 


Dredge 
Sluice . 


51 


6.0132 


771 


100 


29 


7.7 


Bedrock; excellent. 


P-55 . . 


. Taylor Creek 


A-9, A-10 


86 


.1 


.0011 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; fair. 


P-56 . . 


. Bertha Creek 


A-9, A-10 


87 


. .do . . 


.1 


.0129 


777 


100 


123 


7.8 


Bench; good. 






A-10 


88 


..do .. 


.1 


.0006 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; fair. 






A-10 


88 


Dredge 


5.67 


6.0142 


773 


215 


12 


3.6 


Gravel bar; good. 


P-57 . . 


. Spokane Creek 


A-10 


89 


Sluice . 


.1 


.0001 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bench; fair. 






A-10 


90 


Dredge 


51 


6.0022 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; good. 


P-58 . . 


. Pete's Creek 


A-10 


91 


Sluice . 


.1 


.0007 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bench; fair. 


P-59 . . 


. Placer River 


A-10 
A-10 


102 
102 


..do .. 
..do .. 


.1 
.1 


.0028 
.0001 


752 
NS 


225 
NS 


23 
NS 


3.3 
NS 


Gravel bar; good. 
Gravel bar; fair. 










A-10 


102 


Dredge 


51 


6.0003 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Do. 






A-10 


102 


..do .. 


51 


6.0028 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bedrock; good. 






A-10 


103 


..do .. 


51 


6.0015 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bedrock; fair. 






A-10 


104 


Sluice . 


.1 


.001 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; fair. 






A-10 


105 


Dredge 


51 


6.0001 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; poor. 






A-10 


106 


Sluice . 


.1 


.0009 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; fair. 


P-60.. 


. Bench and Groundhog 
























Creeks 


A-10 


107 


Dredge 


51 


6.001 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bedrock; fair. 






A-10 


108 


..do .. 


51 


6.0006 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; poor. 






A-10 


109 


. .do .. 


51 


6.0042 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; fair. 






A-10 


109 


Sluice . 


.1 


.012 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bedrock; excellent. 






A-10 


110 


Dredge 


51 


6.0001 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bedrock; good. 


P-61 . . 


. Lynx Creek 


A-10 


95 


Sluice . 


.1 


.0013 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Alluvial fan; good. 






A-10 


95 


Dredge 


51 


6.0001 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; poor. 






A-10 


95 


..do .. 


51 


6.0004 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Alluvial fan; fair. 






A-10 


96 


Sluice . 


.1 


.0036 


770 


227 


3 


3.4 


Gravel bar; fair. 






A-10 


96 


..do .. 


.1 


.0412 


846 


131 


23 


6.5 


Bedrock; excellent. 






A-10 


97 


..do . . 


.1 


.0085 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bench; good. 






A-10 


97 


..do . . 


.1 


.0203 


829 


75 


96 


11.1 


Do. 






A-10 


97 


..do .. 


.1 


.0118 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Do. 






A-10 


97 


..do .. 


.1 


.0163 


807 


104 


89 


7.8 


Do. 






A-10 


97 


..do .. 


.1 


.0741 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Do. 



See footnotes at end of table. 



14 



Table A-1.— Sample results for placers P-1 through P-1 02— Continued 



Placer Placer 

numberi name 

Lynx Creek 

Silvertip Creek 

. . . Center Creek 

..do 

..do 

. . . Mills Creek 

P-64 Colorado Creek 

P-65 .... Juneau Creek 

P-66 .... Fresno Creek 

P-67 .... Canyon Creek 

P-68 Gulch Creek 

P-69 .... Sixmile Creek 

P-69 Falls Creek 

P-70 .... Bear Creek 

P-71 .... Resurrection and Palmer 
Creeks 

P-72 .... Chickaloon River 

P-73 Falls Creek 

P-74 Quartz Creek 



NAp Slate Creek 

NAp .... Summit Creek 

P-75 .... Trail River tributary . 

NAp .... Moose Creek 

P-76 Trail River 

P-77 Cotterell Glacier 

P-78 .... Taylor Glacier 

P-79 .... Claremont Glacier . . 

P-80 .... Kings River 

P-81 .... Kings River tributary 

P-82 .... Wolverine Glacier . . 

P-83 .... Snow River 

P-84 .... Grant Lake 

P-85 .... Falls Creek 

P-86 .... Rarmigan Creek . . . 

P-87 .... Victor Creek 



Sample 


location 


Sample 


Sample 


Gold, 


Gold composition 


. PPt 


Ratio, 

- gold to 

silver 


Comments, including 


Figure 


Site 


type 


size, yd3 


oz/yd3 


Gold 


Silver 


Base 


sample quality^ 


A-10 


97 


Sluice . 


0.1 


0.0298 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bench, bedrock; good. 


A-10 


97 


..do .. 


51.25 


6.0087 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bench; poor. 


A-10 


97 


Dredge 


5.5 


6.0149 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bedrock; good. 


A-10 


98 


..do .. 


5.5 


5.0011 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bench; poor. 


A-10 


94 


Sluice . 


.1 


.0019 


780 


156 


64 


5 


Gravel bar; fair. 


A-10 


99 


Dredge 


51 


5.0001 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bedrock; good. 


A-10 


100 


..do .. 


51 


5.0001 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Do. 


A-10 


101 


..do .. 


51 


5.0001 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bedrock; poor. 


A-10 


111 


..do .. 


51 


6.0006 


831 


43 


126 


19.3 


Bedrock; excellent. 


A-10 


112 


. .do .. 


51 


6.0012 


828 


72 


100 


11.5 


Bedrock; good. 


A-10 


113 


..do .. 


5.75 


6.0005 


854 


19 


127 


45 


Bedrock; poor. 


A-10 


114 


..do .. 


51 


6.0001 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Do. 


A-10 


115 


..do .. 


51 


6.0554 


840 


69 


91 


12.2 


Bedrock; excellent. 


A-1 5 


115 


Sluice . 


.1 


.0001 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bench; good. 


A-10 


115 


..do .. 


.1 


.0035 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Do. 


A-10 


115 


..do .. 


.1 


.0044 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Do. 


A-10 


116 


..do .. 


.1 


.0869 


834 


98 


68 


8.5 


Do. 


A-10 


119 


..do .. 


.1 


.0011 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; fair. 


A-10 


117 


..do .. 


.1 


.0002 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Do, 


A-10 


118 


..do .. 


.1 


.0022 


680 


278 


42 


2.4 


^''ixed gravel and eluvium 
good. 


A-10 


{') 


..do .. 


.1 


W 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bedrock; good. 


A-10 


121 


..do .. 


.1 


.0006 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; poor. 


A-10 


120 


..do .. 


.1 


.0054 


840 


96 


64 


8.8 


Bench, bedrock; fair. 


A-10 


120 


Pan . . . 


.05 


.014 


855 


93 


52 


9.2 


Bench, bedrock; good. 


A-10 


128 


Sluice . 


.1 


.0001 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bench; fair. 


A-10 


128 


..do .. 


.1 


.0004 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Do. 


A-10 


122 


Dredge 


51 


6.0034 


810 


86 


104 


9.4 


Bedrock; poor. 


A-10 


123 


..do .. 


51 


6.0007 


810 


53 


137 


15.3 


Bedrock; fair. 


A-10 


124 


Pan . . . 


.025 


.0296 


761 


110 


129 


6.9 


Bedrock; good. 
Bedrock; fair. 


A-10 


125 


Dredge 


51 


6.0006 


786 


47 


167 


16.7 


A-10 


126 


Sluice . 


.1 


.0008 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bench; fair. 


A-10 


130 


Pan . . . 


.017 


.0214 


874 


36 


90 


24.3 


Bedrock; good. 


A-10 


131 


Sluice . 


.1 


.0017 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; fair. 


A-10 


132 


..do .. 


.05 


.0028 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bench; fair. 


A-10 


132 


Dredge 


51 


6.0182 


814 


119 


67 


6.8 


Gravel bar; good. 


A-10 


132 


. .do .. 


51 


6.002 


784 


100 


116 


7.8 


Gravel bar; fair. 


A-10 


133 


. .do .. 


51 


6.0002 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bedrock; excellent. 


A-10 


134 


Sluice . 


.1 


.0003 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; fair. 


A-10 


135 


..do .. 


.1 


.0073 


745 


62 


193 


12 


Bedrock; good. 


A-10 


136 


..do .. 


.1 


.0021 


697 


267 


36 


2.6 


Mixed gravel bar and 
eluvium; poor. 


A-10 


137 


Washing 




















plant . 


1,000 


NS 


837 


117 


46 


7.2 


Gold donated by mine 
ovifner. 


A-10 


138 


Sluice . 


.1 


.0006 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; fair. 


A-10 


139 


Pan . . . 


.03 


.0042 


808 


23 


169 


35.1 


Gravel bar; good. 


A-10 


140 


Sluice . 


.1 


.0024 


747 


144 


109 


5.2 


Bedrock; good. 


A-10 


140 


..do .. 


.1 


.034 


795 


122 


83 


6.5 


Bench, bedrock; good. 


A-10 


140 


Pan . . . 


.0003 


4.5 


817 


97 


86 


8.4 


Tailing from spiral 
concentrator. 


A-10 


141 


Pan . . . 


.006 


.0384 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bedrock; excellent. 


A-10 


141 


Sluice . 


.1 


.0024 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; fair. 


A-10 


142 


..do .. 


.1 


.0048 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Eluvial gravel; good. 


A-10 


143 


..do . . 


.1 


.0001 


' NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; fair. 


A-10 


144 


Dredge 


51 


6.0006 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Do. 


A-10 


145 


..do .. 


51 


6.0001 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bedrock; excellent. 


A-10 


146 


..do . . 


51 


6.0005 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bedrock; fair. 


A-10 


146 


Sluice . 


.05 


.0003 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bench, bedrock; fair. 


A-10 


147 


..do . . 


.1 


.0015 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; good. 


A-10 


148 


Dredge 


51 


6.0012 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bedrock; good. 


A-10 


148 


..do . . 


51 


6.0007 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bedrock; fair. 


A-11 


149 


Sluice . 


.1 


.0005 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; fair. 


A-11 


150 


..do .. 


.1 


.0044 


677 


238 


85 


2.8 


Do. 


A-11 


151 


..do .. 


.1 


.0013 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Do. 


A-11 


152 


..do . . 


.1 


.0083 


812 


100 


88 


8.1 


Bedrock; good. 


A-11 


152 


..do . . 


.1 


.0014 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; fair. 


A-11 


152 


Dredge 


51 


6.0017 


827 


104 


69 


8 


Bedrock; good. 


A-11 


153 


Sluice . 


.1 


.0003 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; fair. 


A-11 


154 


..do . . 


.1 


.0035 


742 


94 


164 


7.9 


Gravel bar; good. 


A-11 


155 


..do .. 


.1 


.0002 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Do. 


A-1 2 


156 


..do .. 


.1 


.0006 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Do. 


A-1 2 


157 


Pan . . . 


.006 


.0464 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bedrock; excellent. 


A-1 2 


157 


Dredge 


5.67 


6.0001 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; fair. 


A-1 2 


158 


Sluice . 


.1 


.0011 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Do. 


A-1 2 


159 


Dredge 


51 


6.0002 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bedrock; good. 


A-1 2 


160 


. . do . . 


51 


6.0006 


779 


39 


182 


20 


Do. 


A-1 2 


161 


Sluice . 


.1 


.0022 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; fair. 


A-1 2 


162 


. . do . . 


.1 


.0027 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Eluvial gravel; good. 


A-1 2 


163 


Dredge 


51 


6.0002 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bedrock; poor. 


A-1 2 


164 


Sluice . 


.1 


.0009 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Eluvial gravel: fair. 


A-12 


165 


. . do . . 


.1 


.0077 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Active mine cut; good. 


A-1 2 


166 


..do .. 


.1 


.0003 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Bench; good. 


A-12 


167 


..do .. 


.1 


.0002 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Gravel bar; fair. 


A-12 


167 


..do .. 


.1 


.0007 


NS 


NS 


NS 


NS 


Do. 


A-12 


168 


..do . . 


.1 


.0043 


745 


111 


144 


6.7 


Bedrock; good. 



P-61 



P-62. 
NAp. 

P-63. 



See fcK)tnotes at end of table. 



Table A-1.— Sample results for placers P-1 through P-1 02— Continued 



15 



Placer 
number' 



Placer 
name 



Sample location 



Figure 



Site 



Sample Sample 
type size, yd' 



Gold, Gold composition, ppt 
oz/yd3 Gold Silver Base 



Porcupine Creek A-1 2 

A-1 2 

Ship Creek A-12 

A-1 2 
A-12 
A-12 
A-12 

Crescent Creek A-12 

A-12 
A-12 
A-12 

Hargood Creek A-12 

A-12 
A-12 

Dry Creek A-12 

Kenai River A-12 

A-12 
A-12 
A-12 
A-12 

Cooper Creek A-12 

A-12 
A-12 



Ratio, 
gold to 
silver 



Comments, including 
sample quality^ 



P-88. 
P-89. 

P-90. 
P-91. 



P-92. 
P-93. 



P-94. 



P-95. 
P-96. 
P-97. 
P-98. 



P-99 . . 
P-1 00. 
P-1 01 . 
P-1 02. 



Stetson Creek 

Cooper Lake tributary 

Boulder Creek 

Martin Creek 



Redman Creek . 
Paradise Creek 
Lost Creek . . . . 
Goat Harbor . . . 



A-12 
A-12 
A-12 
A-12 
A-12 
A-12 
A-12 
A-12 
A-12 
A-12 
A-12 
A-12 
A-12 
A-12 
A-1 3 



169 Sluice 

169 Pan . . 

170 Dredge 

171 ..do 

172 ..do 

172 Sluice 

173 ..do 



175 
175 
175 



174 
174 
176 
177 



180 
181 



191 
191 



192 
194 



do 
.do 
do 



175 Pan . 
174 Sluice 



. do 
. do 
. do 
..do 

177 Dredge 

178 Sluice 
. do . 
..do . 



179 Sluice 

182 ..do . 

183 Sluice 

184 Dredge 

185 Sluice 

186 . .do . 

187 ..do . 

188 ..do . 

189 Dredge 

190 ..do . 

191 . .do . 
Sluice 
Pan . . 



193 Sluice 



..do . 
..do . 



195 Pan . . 
(3) Sluice 



0.1 0.0008 NS NS NS NS Gravel bar; fair. 

.02 .0022 NS NS NS NS Bedrock; fair. 

=1 6.0002 NS NS NS NS Bedrock; fair. 

51 6.0001 NS NS NS NS Gravel bar; poor. 

51 6.0081 759 76 165 10 Bedrock; good. 

.05 .0304 824 57 119 14.5 Bedrock; excellent. 

.1 .0001 NS NS NS NS Gravel bar; fair. 

.1 .01 770 82 148 9.4 Bench; good. 

.05 .031 770 124 106 6.2 Do. 

.1 .015 818 64 118 12.8 Gravel bar; good. 

.04 .0135 773 111 116 7 Bedrock; excellent. 

.1 .0289 804 186 10 4.3 Alluvial fan; good. 

.1 .0036 731 215 54 ' 3.4 Do. 

.1 .0315 764 211 25 3.6 Do. 

.1 .0005 NS NS NS NS Gravel bar; fair. 

.1 .0027 826 111 63 7.4 Gravel bar; good. 

5.5 6.003 NS NS NS NS Gravel bar; fair. 

.1 .0135 814 106 80 7.7 Gravel bar; good. 

.1 .0449 860 80 60 10.8 Gravel bar; excellent. 

.1 .0001 NS NS NS NS Gravel bar; good. 

.1 .0018 820 136 44 6 Gravel bar; fair. 

.2 .019 NS NS NS NS Behch; good. 

.1 .0046 NS NS NS NS Mixed gravel bar and 

eluvium; fair. 

5.75 6.0001 770 42 288 18.3 Bedrock; poor. 

.1 .01 572 156 272 3.7 Bench; good. 

.1 .0043 835 53 112 15.8 Bedrock; good. 

.1 .0008 NS NS NS NS Gravel bar; fair. 

.1 .0003 NS NS NS NS Bench; fair. 

51 6.0001 808 NS NS NS Bedrock; fair. 

51 6.0006 806 36 158 22.4 Bedrock; fair. 

51 6.0278 819 61 120 13.4 Do. 

.1 .0106 807 174 19 4.6 Gravel bar; fair. 

.02 .1537 829 67 104 12.4 Bedrock; excellent. 

.1 .0004 NS NS NS NS Gravel bar; fair. 

.1 .0003 NS NS NS NS Do. 

.1 .0001 NS NS NS NS Do. 

.02 .0003 NS NS NS NS Bedrock; good. 

.1 C) NS NS NS NS Gravel bar. 



NS Not sampled or not determined. 
NAp Not applicable. 

■"From maps in appendix A. Samples with placer numbers are described in appendix B; those without placer numbers are not. 

^Excellent: Bedrock reached, little water in hole (unless collected by suction dredge). Good location for gold to accumulate. Sample value likely greater than 
average value of gravels in immediate area. 

Good: Bedrock reached, may have water in hole. Fair to good area for gold to accumulate. Sample value likely to be representative of that of gravel in im- 
mediate area. 

Fair: Bedrock not reached and/or poor location for gold to accumulate. Sample value may be less than that of gravel in immediate area. 

Poor: Bedrock not reached and water in hole. Poor location for gold to accumulate. Sample value likely to be less than that of gravel in immediate area. 
'Sample collected, but gold content too low for analysis. (Location not specifically identified.) 
*Gold content too low for analysis. 
5Hour (amount of sample collected In given time). 
60unce per hour. 



16 



Legend for Figures A-1 Through A-13 



P-5/* 

^ A-1 and appendix B) 



. Location of placer deposit and deposit number (numbers used in tables 1 and 



O Placer sample site where trace amounts or no visible gold was recovered 



9 Placer sample site where quantity of gold was large enough to be weighed. 
(Site numbers correspond to those used in "Sample location" column in ap- 
pendix B.) 

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30 



APPENDIX B.— PLACER DEPOSIT DESCRIPTIONS 



Placer 
number! 



Deposit 
location^ 



Mineral 

development 

potential 



ToduK" Summary of mineralization 

No data; no reported production. Beach sands. 

None Quaternary alluvial sands and gravels in Copper 

River. Gold concentrations in gravel between 
Tasnuna River and Miles Lake. 

. . do Alluvial and colluvial gravels in drainage that 

drains metamorphosed sedimentary rocks. 

. . do Do. 

. .do Alluvial gravels in a drainage that drains 

metamorphosed sedimentary and volcanic 
rocks. Shear zone containing quartz, galena, 
and pyrrhotite crops out in the drainage. 

None Quaternary alluvial gravel derived from metamor- 
phosed sedimentary and volcanic rocks. 

. .do Do. 

. . do Quaternary alluvial gravels derived from metamor- 
phosed sedimentary and volcanic rocks. A 
0.025-in-diam flake vi/as recovered from the 
gravels. 4-ft-wide malachite-stained greenstone 
crops out on south side of creek. 

. . do Quaternary alluvial gravels derived from metamor- 
phosed sedimentary rocks. 

. .do , Do. 

. .do Do. 

Placer gold operation. No reported production. Quaternary alluvial gravels. 

None Quaternary alluvial gravels derived from metamor- 
phosed sedimentary rocks. Mineralization con- 
sists of fine-grain gold and reported scheellte 
near mouth of river. 

. . do Quaternary alluvial gravels derived from metamor- 
phosed sedimentary and volcanic rocks. 

. .do Quaternary alluvial gravels contain slate, 

graywacke, phyllite, greenstone, and andalusite 
schist cobbles and boulders. 1 pet garnet in 
concentrate. 

No data; no reported production. 1-ft-thick beach sand over sandy pebbly layer. 

Pebbles are felsic intrusives, greenstones, 
graywackes, and slates. 10 pet garnet in 
concentrate. 

None Quaternary alluvial gravels consist of slate, 

graywacke, greenstone, and quartz cobbles and 
boulders. 

Placer gold operation. No reported production. Quaternary alluvial gravels derived from metamor- 

phosed sedimentary rocks. 

. . do Quaternary alluvial gravels derived from metamor- 
phosed sedimentary and volcanic rocks. Other 
minerals present in heavy fraction include 
garnet, pyrite, chalcopyrite, magnetite, zircon, 
and scheelite. 

. . do Quaternary alluvial gravels derived from metamor- 
phosed sedimentary and volcanic rocks. 

None Do. 

. .do Do. 

. . do Do. 



P-1 Cordova: A-2; sec. 

6, T. 208, R. 5E 

(CRM). 
P-2 Valdez: A-3; Cor- 
dova: C-2, D-2 

(CRM). 
P-3 Cordova: D-2; sec. 

27, T. IIS, R. 4E 

(CRM). 
P-4 Cordova: D-2; sec. 

22, T. IIS, R. 4E 

(CRM). 
P-5 Cordova: D-3; sec. 

24, T. 11S, R. 3E 

(CRM). 

P-6 Valdez: A-3, A-4; T. 

10S, R. 3E (CRM). 
P-7 Valdez: A-3; T. 9S, 

R. 2E (CRM). 
P-8 Valdez: A-4; T. 9S, 

R. 2W (CRM). 



Low 



Moderate . 



Low 



Low 



Low 



Moderate . 



.do 



High. 



P-9 . . . . 


. . Valdez; A-5; T. 9S, 
R. 2W (CRM). 


Low 


P-10 ... 


.. . .do 


Low 


P-11 . . . 


. . Valdez: A-5; T. 9S, 
R. 3W (CRM). 


Moderate . . . . 


P-12 . . . 


.. . .do 


Low 


P-13 . . . 


. . Valdez: A-5, A-6; T. 
9S, R. 5W (CRM). 


Low 


P-14 . . . 


. . Valdez: A-5; T. 20S, 
R. 4W (CRM). 


Moderate .... 


P-15 ... 


. . Cordova: D-6; T. 
11S, R. 4W 
(CRM). 


Low 


P-16 ... 


. . Cordova: C-7; sec. 
4, T. 14S, R. 7W 
(CRM). 


Low 


P-17 . . . 


. . Cordova: D-6; T. 
IIS, R. 5W 
(CRM). 


Moderate .... 


P-18 .. . 


. . Valdez: A-6; sec. 21, 
T. 9S, R. 4W 
(CRM). 


Unknown . . . . 


P-19 . . . 


. . Valdez: A-6; T, 9S, 
-'. 5W (CRM). 


Low 


P-20 . . . 


. . Valdez: A-7; T. 9S, 
R, 6W (CRM). 


Low 


P-21 . . . 


. . Cordova: D-7; sec. 
25, T. 10S, R. 7W 
(CRM). 


Low 


P-22 . . , 


. . Cordova: D-7; sec. 
32, T. 10S, R. 7W 
(CRM). 


Moderate . . . . 


P-23 . . . 


. . Valdez: A-7; T. 9S, 
R. 7W (CRM). 


..do 


P-24 . . , 


. . Valdez: A-7; sec. 18, 
T. 9S, R. 6W 
(CRM). 


Low 


P-25 . . 


. . Valdez: A-7; T. 8S, 
R. 6W (CRM). 


Moderate . . . . 


P-26 . . 


. Valdez: A-7; T. 8S, 
R. 7W (CRM). 


Low 



Placer gold operation. No reported production. 



..do 
..do 



Quaternary alluvial and beach gravels. 



Do. 



Quaternary alluvial gravels contain 5 pet clay, and 
slate, graywacke, and quartz pebbles and cob- 
bles. Gravel is 9 to 50 ft thick. 



See footnotes at end of table. 



31 



Placer 
number^ 



Deposit 
location^ 



Mineral 

development 

potential 



Worl<ings and 
production^ 



Summary of mineralization 



P-27 Valdez: A-7; T. 8S, 

R. 8W (CRM). 
P-28 Valdez: A-8; T. 8S, 

R. 8W (CRM). 
P-29 Valdez: A-8; T. 8S, 

R. 9W (CRM). 
P-30 Valdez: A-8; T. 9S, 

R. 10W (CRM). 
P-31 Anchorage: A-2; 

sec. 29, T. 12N, R. 

12E (SM). 
P-32 Anchorage: A-2; T. 

12N, R. 10E (SM). 



Low 



Low 



None . 



.do 



Low Placer gold operation. No reported production. 

Low Placer gold occurrence. No reported production. 



Moderate 



Moderate for 
suction 
dredging. 



None 



No recorded production . 



P-33 Anchorage: A-2; T. Moderate for None 

11 N, R. 10E (SM). small mining 
operation. 



P-34 Anchorage: A-3; T. Low do 

11N, R. 9E(SM). 

P-35 Anchorage: A-2; T. Low do 

11N, R. 10E (SM). 

P-36 Seward: D-3; T. Moderate for Possibly some hand placer activity and suction 

ION, R-. 9E (SM). small mining dredging has occurred, 
operation. 



P-37 Seward: D-2; T. ..do None 

ION, R. 10E (SM). 



P-38 Seward: D-3; T. Low 

ION, R. 9E (SM). 



.do 



P-39 



P-40 



Seward: D-4; T. 9N, Low 
R. 6E (SM). 



Seward: D-5; T. 9N, Low 
R, 5E (SM). 



do 



.do 



Quaternary alluvial gravels derived from metamor- 
phosed sedimentary rocks. 
Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 



Gold is disseminated in thin poorly to moderately 
sorted alluvial gravels and concentrated on and 
in slate bedrock exposed in canyon portion of 
northwest fork of Coghill River. Minor gravel oc- 
curs in canyon, but has accumulated above its 
junction with main fork of the Coghill River. 
Grades are low to marginal; good possibility of 
identifying local economic concentrations of 
gold. Gold up to 1/16 in. in diameter was 
recovered. 

Fine gold is disseminated in poorly washed fluvial 
glacial gravels containing boulders to 5 ft in 
diameter and moderate clay hardpan. Grade is 
likely low, but local concentrations of economic 
significance may exist. 

Very fine-grained gold is disseminated in poorly 
washed fluvial glacial gravels associated with 
Lafayette Glacier. Large boulders are present. A 
large volume of gravel occurs along stream. 

Fine gold is disseminated in poorly washed fluvial 
glacial gravels derived from a glacier on north 
and east flanks of Unakwik Peak. Large 
boulders are present. 

Lower half of Avery River occupies a broad, gen- 
tle U-shaped valley filled with considerable 
alluvium. Middle section flows through a narrow, 
steep bedrock canyon with little gravel ac- 
cumulation. Upper section occurs in a broad U- 
shaped valley with poorly washed fluvial glacial 
gravels containing highly anomalous concentra- 
tions of fine gold, with particles up to 1/8-in. in 
diameter recovered. Upper gravels contain 
numerous boulders and considerable clay. 

Upper Siwash Creek descends rapidly with little 
gravel accumulation. Lower section occupies a 
relatively wide valley with a braided channel and 
flood plain developed. Gravel contains con- 
siderable clay. Anomalous concentrations of fine 
gold occur at lower end of steep section of 
creek. 

Uppermost section descends rapidly from its 
glacial sources, followed by a wide-braided por- 
tion about 1-1/2 mile long. Lower section oc- 
cupies steep, narrow bedrock canyon, below 
which a braided channel has developed. Very 
fine gold occurs in gravels accumulating below 
lower falls. 

Gold is fine with a few small flakes up to 1/16 in. 
in diameter recovered. Main tributary to Pirate 
Cove occupies a short U-shaped valley that has 
a steep gradient in its upper portion and a 
relatively gentle gradient along middle and lower 
section. Gravel contains numerous boulders. 

Billings Creek occupies a short, wide, gently slop- 
ing U-shaped valley. Central section has a short 
bedrock canyon, below which are gravel bars 
containing fine disseminated gold accumula- 
tions. Gravels consist of wide variety of 
metamorphosed sedimentary and granitic clasts 
and have high clay contents. 



See footnotes at end of table. 



32 



Placer 
number! 



Deposit 
location^ 



Mineral 

development 

potential 



Workings and 
production' 



Summary of mineralization 



P-41 Seward: D-5; T. 9N, 

R. 4E (SM). 



Low 



None 



P-42 . . . 


. . Anchorage: A-5; T. 
11N, R. 3E(SM). 


Moderate for 
small mining 
operation. 


P-43 . . . 


. . Ancorage: A-6; T. 
11N, R. 2E (SM). 


High for 
small- to 
medium-size 
mining 
operation. 



No recorded production . 



P-44 Seward: D-6; T. 

ION, R. 2E (SM). 



Moderate for 
small mining 
operation. 



P-45 Anchorage: A-6 and 

Seward: D-6; T. 
ION, R. 2E (SM). 



Low 



One large and one small hydraulic operation ac- 
counted for most production from Crow Creek 
prior to 1 940. Several historic buildings are 
maintained at the Erickson Gold Mine and 
numerous mining artifacts occur along the 
banks of Crow Creek. One mechanized opera- 
tion mined intermittently in 1981 and 1982. 
Recreational mining is currently (1985) popular 
at the Erickson Gold Mine. Total estimated pro- 
duction since 1898 is 42,500 oz. Production 
since 1979 is estimated to be approximately 400 
oz. 



Hand placer operations and a hydraulic operation 
recovered gold between 1898 and 1917. Hand 
placer methods and suction dredges have been 
used sporadically since 1975. Total estimated 
production, all from lower 1/4 mile of the creek, 
is 400 oz, of which less than 25 oz has been 
produced since 1975. 



Hand placer operations worked intermittently be- 
tween 1898 and 1914. Some hand placer activ- 
ity has also occurred since 1975. Total 
estimated production since 1898 is 400 oz. 



P-46 . . . 


. . Seward: D-6; T. 
ION, R. 2E (SM). 


Low 


P-47 . . . 


.. Seward: D-6;. T. 9N, 
R. 2E (SM). 


Unknown . . . . 


P-48 . . . 


. . Seward: D-6, D-7; T. 


Low 



9N, R. 1E(SM). 



P-49 Seward: D-6; T. 9N, 

R. 2E (SM). 



Moderate for 
small mining 
operation. 



Minor production reported. 



Test pits are present in lower section of creek. 
No reported production. 

None 



A hydraulic pit occurs on the west side of Seattle 
Creek about 1 mile south of Turnagain Arm. 
Small amount of hand placering and suction 
dredging have occurred since 1975. Total 
estimated production is less than 300 oz. 



Upper segment of Carmen River is broad, gently 
sloping U-shaped valley except in its uppermost 
forks, which are entrenched in steep-walled 
bedrock canyons. Little gravel has accumulated 
in the canyons. Flood plain gravels grade from 
boulder and clay rich at upper portion to in- 
creasingly well-washed sandier sections near 
Carmen Lake. Gold is present in slightly 
anomalous concentrations in alluvial gravels of 
the upper section. 

Placer gold is disseminated in poorly to 
moderately washed glacial fluvial gravels along 
the upper portions of the Twentymile River. 
Numerous large boulders are present. 

Placer gold is found in 4 types of gravels on 
Crow Creek: high bench gravels, recent stream 
deposits, glacial gravels, and avalanche debris. 
Bench deposits are the highest in grade and 
have historically produced most of the gold. 
Glacial deposits and avalanche debris are low 
grade, but may locally contain significant con- 
centrations of gold. Highest grades appear to be 
associated with old channels in high benches, 
which likely consist of gravels deposited prior to 
the glacial advance. Presence of numerous 
large boulders and cemented gravels may 
cause mining difficulties. Gold is relatively 
coarse with 0.025- to 0.05-oz nuggets common 
and nuggets up to 1 oz occasionally obtained by 
recreational miners. 

Winner Creek occupies a relatively wide and gen- 
tle U-shaped valley along most of its length with 
a short bedrock canyon and falls near its junc- 
tion with Glacier Creek. Gravel deposits consist 
of well-stratified and washed alluvium within 
channel and bench deposits and also as clay- 
rich, cemented glacial or fluvial-glacial bench 
deposits in other locations. Clay-rich gravels 
contained relatively coarse (3/16-in) gold at 1 
sample site. 

California Creek occupies a steep, narrow ava- 
lanche debris-filled glacial valley with little ac- 
cumulation of gravel. An alluvial fan at the lower 
end of the creek contains disseminated fine- 
grained gold. Middle section of creek occupies a 
bedrock gorge. Grades are reported to be ex- 
tremely variable. 

Kern Creek occupies a steep, narrow avalanche 
debris-filled valley with numerous falls and 
cascades allowing for little accumulation of 
alluvial gravels until junction with Turnagain 
Arm. 

Peterson Creek occupies a very steep recently 
glaciated valley. Alluvial gravels have ac- 
cumulated along lower portion of creek. 

Sawmill Creek occupies a short, steep, narrow 
avalanche debris-filled valley. Very little gravel 
has accumulated along the channel. Gold oc- 
curs in poorly sorted gravels sampled near 
mouth of the stream. 

Seattle Creek occupies a long, narrow U-shaped 
valley with schist bedrock canyons developed 
along some sections. Gold occurs throughout 
the channel gravels, but is concentrated on 
bedrock and in bedrock fractures. Gold also oc- 
curs as disseminated particles up to 3/16 in. in 
diameter. The bench deposits contain con- 
siderable sand, with boulders up to 2 ft in 
diameter resting upon a 6- to 12-in-thick clay 
layer. 



See footnotes at end of table. 



33 



Placer 
number' 



Deposit 
location* 



Mineral 

development 

potential 



Workings and 
production^ 



Summary of mineralization 



P-50 



■ do. 



Low 



P-51 



P-52 



P-53 



P-54 



P-55 



P-56 



Seward: D-6; T. 8N, 
R. 2E (SM). 



Seward: D-6; T. 8N, 
R. 1E(SM). 



Seward: D-7, D-6; T. 
7N, R. IE, T. 8N, 
R. 1W, T. 8N, R. 
IE (SM). 



Seward: D-6; T. 8N, 
R. 1E(SM). 



..do. 



Seward: D-6, C-6; T. 
8N, R. 1E(SM). 



P-57 



Seward: C-6, C-7; T. 
8N, R. 1E(SM). 



Evidence of prospecting present, but apparently 
no early attempts were made to mine the creek. 
Suction dredging with doubtful success occurred 
In 1981 and 1982. Total estimated production is 
less than 25 oz. 



Low for small 
mechanized 
mining oper- 
ation, but 
moderate for 
suction 
dredging. 

Moderate for 
small mining 
operation. 

..do 



Evidence of prospecting about 1/2 mile above 
junction with Ingram Creek. No known 
production. 



Hand placer operations occurred in 1930's or 
earlier. Suction dredging has occurred since 
1975. Total production is estimated to be less 
than 100 oz. 

Significant production has not occurred along 
these drainages. Suction dredging has occa- 
sionally been attempted without success. 



.do 



Low 



High for small 
mining 
operation. 



Moderate for 
small mining 
operation. 



P-58 . . . 


. . Seward: C-6, C-7; T. 
7N, R. IE (SM). 


Low 


P-59 . . . 


. . Seward: C-6; T. 7N, 


Moderate for 




R. 2E (SM). 


small mining 
operation. 



Evidence of prospecting present near mouth of 
canyon. No known production. 



None . 



Hand placer and hydraulic mining occurred be- 
tween 1902 and 1904. Recreational mining has 
been popular on lower Bertha Creek since 1975. 
A suction dredge operation occurred near the 
power line in 1981. Total estimated production 
since 1902 is 750 oz, with less than 75 oz being 
produced since 1975. 



No commercial mining has occurred. Evidence of 
prospecting is present along lower portions. 
Recreational mining, including suction dredging, 
has occurred in recent years. Total production is 
less than 25 oz. 



Similar to Spokane Creek (P-57). 

Minor production from recent suction dredging. 
Total estimated production is less tham.25 oz. 



Upper Ingram Creek occupies a steep, narrow 
avalanche debris-filled glacial valley. The middle 
section is a narrow, steep bedrock canyon with 
numerous falls and cascades. The lower 2 miles 
has a narrow flood plain developed. The gravels 
range from well-washed on the surface to 
angular blocky boulders mixed with considerable 
clay near bedrock. Fine-grained gold is 
disseminated throughout, but is concentrated 
near bedrock. 

Wolverine Creek is main tributary and is similar in 
configuration to upper Ingram Creek (P-50). 
Moderately washed gravels have accumulated in 
favorable sites and contain gold concentrated 
with tan clay on bedrock. The gold was a mix- 
ture of fines, requiring amalgamation to recover, 
and relatively coarse gold. 

Tincan Creek is similar in character to Lyon 
Creek (P-54) except that its upper valley is 
broader. 

Granite and upper East Fork Creeks occupy a 
wide valley over most of their lengths with 
bedrock exposed in a few locations. East Fork 
Creek occupies a narrow canyon beginning 
about 3/4 mile below Silvertip Creek. Stream 
gravels are loose and unconsolidated on surface 
with increasing clay at depth. Bench deposits 
occur along portions of these drainages; these 
deposits are unevaluated except where they 
were mined at mouth of Bertha Creek. 

Lyon Creek occupies a narrow avalanche-filled 
glacial trough for most of its length prior to cut- 
ting a steep bedrock gorge and flowing onto an 
alluvial fan that coalesces with fan formed by 
Tincan Creek (P-52). Alluvial gravels thinly 
mantle bedrock in lowermost canyon section. 
Coarse gold (3/16 in diam ) was recovered on 
bedrock. 

Taylor Creek is a short drainage similar to Bertha 
Creek (P-56) and other eastern tributaries to 
Granite Creek (P-53). Along its lower section it 
cuts glacial till, believed to be a lateral moraine. 

Bertha Creek occupies a U-shaped valley in its 
upper portion and a steep, narrow canyon cut in 
glacial debris and bedrock in its middle section, 
and has formed an alluvial fan along its lower 
section. Most of the gold has been produced 
from the alluvial fan. Gravels are poorly to 
moderately stratified with a high clay and 
boulder content. Gold appears to be concen- 
trated near bedrock. 

Spokane Creek occupies a U-shaped valley in its 
upper portion, a steep V-shaped bedrock can- 
yon in its middle portion, and an alluvial fan in 
its lower section. Little stream-washed gravel 
has accumulated except on the fan, where the 
gravel is moderately stratified and composed of 
considerable slate fragments with increasing 
clay content on bedrock. Gold appears to be 
concentrated on bedrock. 

Similar to Spokane Creek (P-57). 

Upper portion of Placer River occupies a steep 
valley, much of which is filled with avalanche 
debris and till. A deep bedrock gorge extends 
from 1 mile above its confluence with Spencer 
Glacier valley. From there, the river occupies a 
broad U-shaped glacial trough with a 3/4- to 
1-1/2-mile-wide flood plain. Auriferous gravels 
occur from the terminus of Bartlett Glacier to at 
least Spencer Glacier valley, but tend to be low 
in volume except at the mouth of the canyon. 
Gravels contain numerous large boulders and 
extensive clay. Gold is fine grained, although 
particles up to 3/16 in. in diameter were 
recovered. 



See footnotes at end of table. 



34 



Placer 
number^ 



Deposit 
location^ 



Mineral 

development 

potential 



Workings and 
production^ 



Summary of mineralization 



P-60 Seward: C-6, C-7; T. 

7N, R. IE (SM). 



..do 



Some evidence of suction dredging and hand 
placering exists in junction area. Total estimated 
production is less than 25 oz. 



P-61 Sev\/ard: C-7; T. 7N, 

R. IE (SM). 



High for small 
mining 
operations. 



Picl< and shovel operations occurred betwfeen 
1897 and 1904. Hydraulic operations began in 
1915 and mined bench deposits sporadically un- 
til 1980. Total production is 7,500 oz, with less 
than 100 oz produced since 1975. 



P-62 



..do. 



.do 



P-63 



Seward: C-7; T. 6N, 


High for 


R. 1W, T. 7N, R. 


small- to 


1W (SM). 


medium-size 




mining 




operation. 



Pick and shovel operations occurred between 
1897 and 1904. A small hydraulic operation was 
attempted in 1911. Small mechanized opera- 
tions have mined sporadically since 1950 and 
suction dredges since 1975. Total estimated 
production is 650 oz. 100 to 150 oz is estimated 
to have been recovered since 1975. 

Hydraulic operations began in Mills Creek, about 
1/2 mile above Juneau Creek, in 1938. 1 
hydraulic or small mechanized operation has 
mined intermittently since that time. Total 
estimated production is 4,000 oz, although no 
records are available. 



P-64 



Seward: C-7; T. 6N, 
R. 1W (SM). 



Moderate for 
small mining 
operation. 



A small mechanized operation mined sporadically 
on Colorado Creek between 1977 and 1982 with 
little success. Total estimated production is less 
than 50 oz. 



P-65 



Seward: C-7; T. 7N, 
R. 1W (SM). 



Low 



A single hydraulic operation apparently mined the 
bench deposit in the 1950's. Some exploration 
work including excavation of a large prospect pit 
has occurred recently. No records of production 
are available. 



P-66 



.do. 



Low None 



Groundhog Creek occupies a steep, narrow 
avalanche debris-filled glacial valley and has a 
V-shaped bedrock gorge characterized by 
numerous falls and cascades for a 1/2-mile 
stretch above Bench Creek. Small amounts of 
gold-bearing alluvial gravels have accumulated 
at the junction of Groundhog and Bench 
Creeks. Gold Is disseminated throughout 
gravels, but concentrated on bedrock. Particles 
up to 3/16-in. in diameter were recovered. 

Lynx Creek occupies a steep, narrow canyon cut 
in glacial till and bedrock; contains poorly 
washed glacial-fluvial gravels. Terraces mantled 
with avalanche debris extend along most of the 
creek. A well-formed alluvial fan has formed be- 
tween the canyon mouth and its junction with 
Bench Creek. The auriferous bench deposits 
consist of poorly stratified and washed, partially 
cemented gravels in excess of 15 ft thick resting 
on bedrock. The alluvial fan consists of well- 
stratified and washed gravels containing fine- 
grained particles of disseminated gold near the 
surface. 

Upper portion of Silvertip Creek occupies a steep, 
narrow bedrock canyon partially filled with 
avalanche debris. Lower sections occupy a 
slightly wider channel with bedrock near surface 
covered by poorly washed and stratified clay- 
rich gravels containing gold. Lowermost section 
occupies an alluvial fan consisting of moderately 
well-stratified and washed gravels. 

High-grade alluvial deposits occur in and along 
current channel and narrow flood plain of Mills 
Creek; lower grade deposits occur on benches. 
Gravels are poorly to moderately sorted and 
contain considerable clay. Gold is concentrated 
close to and in bedrock associated with a tan, 
sticky clay that fills bedrock fractures. Gold par- 
ticles are relatively coarse compared to those 
from other drainages on the Kenai Peninsula. 
Flakes and small gold nuggets weighing up to 
0.05 oz are common in Mills Creek gravels 
below Timberline Creek. Only fine-grain gold 
has been collected above junction of Timberline 
Creek. Production grades in the channel gravels 
are estimated to average 0.0125 to 0.015 oz/yd^ 
Au. 

Colorado Creek occupies a steep, narrow ava- 
lanche debris-filled glacial valley with a bedrock 
gorge developed near its lower end and a well- 
developed alluvial fan near its terminus. Gravels 
are poorly stratified and contain considerable 
clay. Gold is disseminated throughout the 
gravels with minor concentration on bedrock. 
Gold is generally fine, although small nuggets 
up to 3/8-in. in diameter have been recovered. 
Production grades of approximately 0.0015 
oz/yd' Au were reported. 

Juneau Creek occupies a narrow, avalanche 
debris-filled glacial valley. A thick bench deposit 
consisting of glacial till and poorly washed 
glacial-fluvial gravels occurs just above the junc- 
tion of Juneau and Mills Creeks. A pay streak is 
reported to occur near the top of an old 
hydraulic cut in the bench. Gravels are tightly 
cemented by clay and contain clay lenses and 
layers. Bedrock channel is believed to be very 
deep and covered with thick avalanche deposits 
and/or poorly washed gravels. 

Fresno Creek occupies a steep, narrow avalanche 
debris-filled glacial valley with a bedrock canyon 
along much of its course. Little gravel has ac- 
cumulated along the stream. Find-grained gold 
is sparsely disseminated throughout the poorly 
washed gravels. 



See footnotes at end of table. 



35 



Placer 
number! 



Deposit 
location^ 



Mineral 

development 

potential 



Workings and 
production^ 



Summary of mineralization 



P-67 



Seward: C-7, D-7; T. 
7N, R. 1W, T. 8N, 
R. 1W (SM). 



High for small 
mining 
operation. 



P-68 



Seward: D-7; T. 8N, 
R. 1W (SM). 



Considerable hand placer and hydraulic placer 
mining occurred on Canyon Creek, especially at 
its junction with Mills Creek between 1895 and 
1940. Several small mechanized and hydraulic 
operations mined intermittently during 1955-61 
and 1977-78. From 1970 to 1984, suction dredg- 
ing accounted for 200 to 300 oz of production 
per year. Total estimated production is 37,700 
oz since 1895. 



Moderate for Hydraulic and hand placer operations on lower 
small mining Gulch Creek and on east side of East Fork 



operation, 
but high for 
suction 
dredging. 



P-69 



Seward: D-7; T. 8N, 
R. 1W, T. 9N, R. 
1W (SM). 



Moderate for 
small- to 
medium-size 
operation. 



P-70 



Seward: D-7; T. 
ION, R. 2W (SM). 



High for small 
mining 
operation. 



P-71 



Seward: D-7, D-8; T. 

9N, R. 2W (SM). 


High for 
small- to 
medium-size 




mining 
operation. 



P-72 Seward: C-8; T. 6N, 

R. 4W (SM). 



Creek accounted for most production prior to 
1917. Suction dredging has become popular 
along most of Gulch Creek in the past 3 yr. 
Total estimated production is 2,250 oz, of which 
up to 250 oz has been produced since 1975. 



Several small operations produced gold from Six- 
mile Creek between 1897 and 1917. Prospect- 
ing, drilling, and limited hydraulic mining occur- 
red in the 1930's. The gravels just below Can- 
yon Creek have been tested, but the results are 
unknown. Several small suction dredge opera- 
tions have been present in the last 5 yr. Total 
estimated production since 1 897 is 1 ,750 oz, of 
which less than 150 oz has been produced 
since 1975. 



Mining began in 1894 on Bear Creek. Early min- 
ing was restricted to pick and shovel operations 
with hydraulic mining becoming more prevalent 
by 1904. Mechanized operations have been min- 
ing intermittently since 1975. Total estimated 
production since 1894 is 5,500 oz, of which 
1 ,000 to 1 ,500 oz have been produced since 
1975. 

Operations began on Resurrection and lower 
Palmer Creeks in 1888. Extensive hydraulic and 
hand placer mining began in 1895 and con- 
tinued intermittently until 1950. Mechanized min- 
ing replaced hydraulic mining in 1960. Con- 
siderable recreational mining currently occurs 
on Resurrection Creek below Palmer Creek. 
Limited production has occurred from Resurrec- 
tion Creek above Palmer Creek. Little mining 
has occurred on Palmer Creek above the lower 
canyon area. However, evidence of prospecting 
is evident up to Bonanza Creek. Total estimated 
production since 1895 is 26,800 oz. Approx- 
imately 2,000 to 3,000 oz has been produced 
since 1975. 



Low None 



Canyon Creek occupies a bedrock canyon deeply 
cut into a broader U-shaped glacial valley. 
Placer gold occurs in alluvial gravels associated 
with current channel of Canyon Creek and in 
bench gravels at elevations up to 100 ft above 
present stream level. The bench gravels are 
locally compacted and cemented and contain 
considerable clay. Channel gravels are low in 
volume, but reported to be of high grade. Gold 
is flaky with recovery of particles up to 3/16 in. 
in diameter common. 

Gulch Creek and lower East Fork Creek occupy 
narrow bedrock canyons along most of their 
length and contain thin discontinuous high-grade 
gravel deposits. At least one abandoned chan- 
nel on Gulch Creek was mined in the early 
1900's, and others may occur along lower Gulch 
Creek and East Fork Creek. Channel gravels 
range from loose and sandy on surface to clay 
cemented with boulders of up to 5 ft or more in 
diameter on bedrock. Fine-grained gold is 
disseminated throughout the gravels, but the 
pay streak occurs on and in bedrock fractures 
accompanied by a sticky tan clay. Relatively 
coarse gold, up to 5-oz nuggets, has reportedly 
been recovered from Gulch Creek. 

Sixmlle Creek occupies a relatively broad alluvial- 
filled valley with local development of bedrock 
canyons along its channel. Alluvial terraces, par- 
tially covered with avalanche debris, parallel the 
stream channel. Gold is fine grained, with nug- 
gets coarser than 1/4 in. in diameter rarely 
recovered. Flood plain deposits appear to be 
relatively thick, with depths to bedrock in excess 
of 70-ft reported near junction with Canyon 
Creek. Small auriferous alluvial fan deposits are 
associated with several western tributaries of 
Sixmile Creek, including Alder, Cub, and Old 
Woman Creeks. 

Bear Creek occupies a steep, narrow valley for 
most of its length and is filled with avalanche 
and glacial debris containing large boulders. 
Lower portion of Bear Creek rests upon an 
alluvial fan consisting of better sorted and 
washed gravels. Gold is coarse, with nuggets 
up 10 oz reportedly recovered. Gold is less pure 
than gold obtained from most Kenai Peninsula 
streams. 

Alluvial gravels occupy a flood plain 1 ,000 ft wide 
along Resurrection Creek below Palmer Creek. 
High bench deposits flank the flood plain along 
both sides. Gravels average 7 ft thick and 
typically rest upon a tan-yellow clay hardpan 
with streaks of blue clay present. Gold is 
disseminated throughout the gravels, but is con- 
centrated on the clay hardpan and on bedrock 
in the few locations where it is exposed. The 
auriferous gravels are moderately well washed 
and contain boulders generally less than 3 ft in 
diameter. Production grades of 0.01 oz/yd^ Au 
are typically reported for several operations, 
although higher grades occur locally. Upper 
Palmer Creek flows through a broad valley filled 
In with avalanche and glacial debris, including 
large boulders. Lower Palmer Creek occupies a 
narrow canyon cut partly in bedrock and partly 
In gravel terraces associated with Ressurrection 
Creek. 

The upper section of the Chickaloon River oc- 
cupies a narrow, steep-sided avalanche debris- 
filled valley. Alluvial gravel samples contained 
no large boulders and a moderate to low clay 
content. Gold is very fine grained. 



See footnotes at end of table. 



36 



Placer 
number! 



Deposit 
location^ 



Mineral 

development 

potential 



Workings and 
production^ 



Summary of mineralization 



P-73 



P-74 



Seward: C-8; T. 
R. 3W (SM). 



6N, Low 



Seward: C-7, C-8; T. 
6N, R. 1W, T. 6N, 
R. 2W (SM). 



High for small 
mining oper- 
ations for 
1-1/4 miles 
above Devils 
Creek and 
moderate for 
remainder of 
creek. 



Small prospect pit was located near canyon 
mouth. No production known. 



Some prospecting indicated by pits and trenches 
occurred in early 1900 and from 1950 to 1960. 
Total estimated production is less than 25 oz 
from upper Quartz Creek. A hand placer and 
hydraulic operation mined bench deposits about 
1/3 mile above Devils Creek between 1904 and 
1915. Several hand placer and suction dredge 
operations and 1 small mechanized operation 
have mined mostly in and just above the canyon 
section since 1971. Total estimated production 
is 800 oz, of which up to 400 oz have been pro- 
duced since 1975. 



P-75 



P-76 



Seward: C-6; T. 5N, 
R. 2E (SM). 



Seward: C-6; T. 6N, 
R. 2E (SM). 



Low None 



Low 



do 



P-77 



P-78 



P-79 



P-80 



Seward: C-5; T. 6N, 
R. 5E (SM). 



Seward: C-5; T. 5N, 
R. 5E (SM). 



Seward: C-5; T. 5N, 
R. 5E (SM). 



Seward: B-5, C-5; T. 
4N, R. 4E (SM). 



Low do 



Moderate for 
small mining 
operation. 



Low 



.do 



.do 



Moderate for 
small to 
large mining 
operation. 



do 



The upper portion of Falls Creek occupies a 
relatively broad U-shaped valley containing little 
alluvial gravel. The middle section descends 
through a steep bedrock-walled canyon and 
empties out onto an alluvial fan at its junction 
with Juneau Creek valley. 

Upper Quartz Creek occupies a steep, narrow 
avalanche debris-filled valley partially cut into 
bedrock. An alluvial fan has developed between 
the mouth of the canyon and Seward Highway. 
Alluvial fan deposits are poorly washed and 
stratified with fine gold disseminated throughout 
and concentrated on bedrock. Gold up to 1/8 in. 
in diameter was recovered. The remainder of 
Quartz Creek occupies a broader, more gentle 
valley with a bedrock canyon formed along a 
1/2-mile stretch above Devils Creek. High-grade 
channel deposits and bench deposits have been 
successfully mined in the canyon section. Pro- 
duction grades of 0.015 oz/yd^ Au are typical. 
Bench gravels are locally stratified and typically 
compacted. They have a high clay content. 
Boulders of up to 3 ft in diameter are common. 
Gold is mostly of the flake variety, with nuggets 
coarser than 1/4 in. in diameter rarely present. 

The creek occupies a very steep, narrow bedrock 

. canyon with gravel accumulations only near its 
junction with Trail Creek valley. Gravels are un- 
consolidated, poorly sorted with numerous 
boulders, and have a high clay content. Gold is 
disseminated throughout. 

Trail Creek occupies a relatively wide, U-shaped 
valley and has a well-developed flood plain 
along most of its length. Upper Trail Creek has 
narrow bedrock-walled canyons containing 
coarse gravels with numerous boulders. 
Alluvium generally has a high clay content, but 
becomes increasingly well-washed and sorted 
downstream. Fine-grained gold is distributed 
throughout the gravels for several miles below 
Trail Glacier. Some concentration appears to oc- 
cur on bedrock. Grades tend to decrease 
downstream. Gold up to 1/8-in. in diameter was 
recovered, amalgamation was required to 
recover much of the gold from the samples. 

Cotterell Glacier Creek occupies a relatively 
broad glacial valley with a flood plain developed 
along most of its course. Gravel is somewhat 
compacted, with a high clay and boulder con- 
tent. Gold is fine and requires amalgamation to 
recover. 

Taylor Glacier Creek occupies a very short, broad 
valley with a braided channel containing com- 
pacted gravels with high clay and boulder con- 
tents. Gold up 1/8 in. in diameter was 
recovered. 

Claremont Glacier Creek occupies a short, steep, 
narrow glaciated valley in its upper section, with 
a braided alluvial channel along its lower por- 
tion. The gravel is compacted with a high clay 
and boulder content. The gold is fine and re- 
quires amalgamation to separate from 
concentrate. 

Kings River is fed by 2 short, steep gold-bearing 
headwater tributaries. Below their junction, the 
river flows through a gently sloping valley with a 
1/4- to 1/2-mile-wide flood plain. The gravels 
contain considerable clay with coarse angular 
bedrock boulders in the upper section that 
become better sorted, less compacted, and finer 
grained as Kings Bay is approached. Coarse 
gold, up to 3/16 in. in diameter, was recovered 
in the upper section of the stream. Fine-grain 
gold was found in surface gravels up to 5 miles 
from the headwaters. 



See footnotes at end of table. 



37 



Placer 
number^ 



Deposit 
location^ 



Mineral 

development 

potential 



Workings and 
production^ 



Summary of mineralization 



P-81 Seward: B-5; T. 4N, 

R. 4E (SM). 



P-82 



P-83 



P-84 



P-85 



Seward: B-6; T. 3N, 
R. 3E (SM). 



Seward: B-6, B-7; T. 
4N, R. 2E, T. 3N, 
R. 2E, T. 2N, R. 
1E(SM). 



Seward: B-6; T. 4N, 
R. 2E (SM). 



Seward: B-6, B-7; T. 
4N, R. 1E(SM). 



P-86 Seward: B-7; T. 4N, 

R. IE (SM). 



P-87 Seward: B-6, B-7, T. 

3N, R. 1E(SM). 



P-88 



P-89 



Seward: B-7; T. 3N, 
R. 1W (SM). 



do. 



Moderate for 
suction 
dredging. 



.do 



Low do 



Moderate to 
medium- to 
large-size 
mining 
operation. 

Low 



..do 



.do 



Moderate for Drilling and prospect pits were dug in early 
small mining 1900's and 1950's on alluvial fan. Small 
operation, mechanized operation worked alluvial gravels 

but high for near mouth of lower canyon in 1980, without 
suction significant success. Suction dredging has occur- 

dredging. red in the canyon since 1977. Total production 

is estimated to be less than 300 oz. 



Low Small prospect pits were identified near junction 

with Kenai Lake. No reported production. 



Moderate for Prospecting on lower section of Victor Creek 
small mining reported between 1900 and 1916, when a shaft 
operation. was sunk, and again during the 1950's. Some 

suction dredging since 1977. Total production is 
estimated to be less than 50 oz. 



Low Minor suction dredging since 1975. Total 

estimated production is less than 25 oz. 



Moderate for Some evidence of prospecting exists on lower 
small mining end of Ship Creek. Limited suction dredging oc- 
operation. curred in 1982. Total estimated production is 

less than 25 oz. 



This tributary occupies a short steep, narrow 
bedrock canyon in Its upper section. The re- 
mainder has a narrow flood plain consisting of 
clay-rich gravels which contain anomalous gold 
values. The gold recovered was up to 1/8 In. in 
diameter. 

Wolverine Creek descends through a short, nar- 
row bedrock canyon with minor gravel ac- 
cumulating until near Its junction with the Nellie 
Juan River. Gravels contain considerable clay, 
numerous boulders, and small amount of fine 
gold and sulfides. 

Snow River occupies a long, wide glacial valley 
with a well-developed flood plain. Gravel con- 
tains considerable clay and very fine-grain gold 
dispersed throughout. Best values are obtained 
below bedrock canyons above lower Paradise 
Lake. 

Headwaters of Grant Lake occupy a wide valley 
with some flood plain development along por- 
tions of Its channel, interspersed with bedrock 
canyons. Gravels contain considerable clay and 
locally contain fine-grain gold concentration on 
bedrock. 

Falls Creek descends in a series of steps. The 
uppermost section descends rapidly along a 
bedrock canyon and Is followed by a gentle por- 
tion with a narrow flood plain. A second canyon 
area begins just below the Falls Creek Mine and 
continues to within 1 mile of its junction with the 
Trail River. Anomalous amounts of gold have 
been Identified In silty gravels 1/2 mile above 
the Falls Creek Mine and In alluvial fan gravels 
below the lower canyon. Coarse gold has 
reportedly been recovered by suction dredges in 
the lower canyon. Grade recovered by a 
mechanized operation near the mouth of the 
lower canyon was reported to be about 0.002 
oz/yd^ Au. 

Below Ptarmigan Lake, the creek occupies a 
broad, heavily forested valley with a gradient of 
less than 100 ft/mile. Alluvial bench gravels are 
exposed along the lower section of the creek. 

Victor Creek occupies a steep, narrow, bedrock- 
walled avalanche-debris filled valley along most 
of Its length. A narrow flood plain and alluvial 
fan have developed along lower 1/2- to 3/4-mlle 
section. Gravels contain considerable clay and 
large boulders. Fine gold has been recovered in 
samples. Coarser gold has reportedly been 
recovered. 

Porcupine Creek occupies a deep, narrow, steep 
bedrock-walled canyon along most of its course, 
with a narrow flood plain and alluvial fan 
developed along Its lower portion. Gravel bars 
and channel deposits accumulated In the can- 
yon In favorable locations. These contain fine- 
grained gold. 

Most of Ship Creek occupies a very narrow, steep 
avalanche debris-filled bedrock valley. A short, 
narrow flood plain and alluvial fan have formed 
at its lower end near Kenal Lake. Gravel is 
poorly sorted with abundant slate fragments and 
some hard-packed clay near bedrock. Coarse 
gold (3/16 in) was Identified on the east fork of 
the stream 3/4 mile above large western 
tributary. 



See footnotes at end of table. 



38 



Placer 
number! 



Deposit 
location^ 



Mineral 

development 

potential 



Workings and 
production^ 



Summary of mineralization 



P-90 Seward: B-7, B-8, 

C-7, C-8; T. 5N, R. 
2W (SM). 



High for small 
mining 
operation. 



P-91 Seward: C-7, C-8; T. 

5N, R. 2W. (SM). 



.do 



P-92 



P-93 



Seward: B-7, B-8; T. 
5N, R. 2W (SM). 



Seward: B-8; T. 5N, 
R. 4W (SM). 



Low 



P-94 



Seward: B-8; T. 4N, 
R. 3W (SM). 



Moderate for 
medium- to 
large-size 
mining oper- 
ation below 
Cooper 
Creek. 



High for small 
mining 
operation. 



P-95 



.do. 



Moderate for 
small mining 
operation. 



P-96 



P-97 



Seward: B-8; T. 3N, 
R. 3W (SM). 



Seward: B-8; T. 2N, 
R. 2W (SM). 



Low 



Low 



Evidence of early hand mining exists. A small 
mechanized operation has worked the lower end 
of Crescent Creek since 1978. Numerous pros- 
pect pits have been dug on the alluvial fan 
below the lower canyon of Cresent Creek. Suc- 
tion dredging has been tried with some success 
on upper Crescent Creek. Total estimated pro- 
duction is 450 oz, of which up to 300 oz has 
been produced since 1975. 



An old hydraulic excavation is present on the 
alluvial fan just south of Crescent Creek trail 
head. A small mechanized operation tested the 
alluvial fan and bench gravels in 1981 and 
1982. Total estimated production is less than 
350 oz, of which up to 150 oz has been pro- 
duced since 1980. 



Very minor prospecting and no significant produc- 
tion has occurred. 



Doroshin prospected the area in 1851 (16). A 
small bucket-line dredge operated during 1911 
and 1912. Prospecting using bulldozers and 
drilling occurred between 1935 and 1956. 
Recreational panning has occurred recently. 
Total estimated production is less than 200 oz. 



Bench and alluvial fan gravels at mouth of 
Cooper Creek were worked by pick and shovel 
and later by hydraulic mining techniques be- 
tween 1899 and 1917. Only minor production 
has occurred since, in the form of recreational 
mining, including suction dredging. Total 
estimated production is 1,100 oz, of which less 
than 50 oz has been produced since 1975. 

Hydraulic mining of the alluvial fan deposits oc- 
curred in the 1950's. Suction dredging has oc- 
curred near the junction of Stetson and Cooper 
Creeks. Total estimated production is 300 oz, of 
which up to 100 oz has been produced since 
1975. 



Minor suction dredging has occurred since 1980. 
No records of production are available. 



None . 



Crescent Creek occupies a steep, narrow ava- 
lanche debris-filled valley. The creek descends 
in a series of steps with auriferous gravels 
deposited below each drop. The gravels are 
clay-rich with numerous boulders up to 3 ft in 
diameter. Gold is disseminated throughout the 
gravels, but concentrated on bedrock. Bench 
gravels contain anomalous gold values. Gold oc- 
curs as flakes and is fine grain in the lower part 
of the creek, but nuggety and coarse in the up- 
per section. Production grades of 0.015 oz/yd^ 
Au are estimated. 

Hargood Creek (name given by present mine 
owner) occupies an abandoned channel in a 
narrow valley; this channel is possibly related to 
an earlier Quartz Creek channel. A broad 
alluvial fan has developed near the mouth of the 
valley and extends to Quartz Creek valley, by 
which it is truncated. Gold is concentrated in 
distributary channels within the fan and occurs 
along certain horizons within each channel. 
Bench gravels are also present. Gold occurs as 
flakes, with little gold coarser than 3/16 in 
present. 

Dry Creek occupies a steep, narrow avalanche 
debris-filled valley. The lower end cuts through 
alluvial gravels believed to be associated with a 
higher level of Quartz Creek. These bench 
gravels contain anomalously high gold values. 

This stretch of the Kenai River has a well- 
developed flood plain containing considerable 
quantities of moderately sorted and stratified 
alluvium. Gold is disseminated throughout the 
gravels and is sometimes found in high concen- 
trations near the heads of river bars during 
periods of low water. Overall grades are be- 
lieved to be low. Production grades in 1911 and 
1912 were reported to be 0.004 oz/yd^ Au. 

Cooper Creek occupies a very narrow bedrock- 
walled gorge nearly to its junction with the 
Kenai River. An alluvial fan has been deposited 
along the last 1/2-mile section of the creek. 
Auriferous alluvium associated with Cooper 
Creek locally forms bench deposits 60 ft above 
the current creek level. Gold occurs as flakes, 
with some of it up to 3/16 in. in diameter. Nug- 
gets up to 0.025 oz have been recovered. 

Stetson Creek occupies a very steep, narrow 
avalanche debris-filled valley, with a bedrock 
gorge developed along its lower section. Gravel 
deposits below several sets of falls are reported 
to contain abundant coarse gold. Alluvial fan 
gravels deposited during an earlier and higher 
stage of Stetson Creek remain well above cur- 
rent creek level near its junction with Cooper 
Creek. Auriferous alluvial fan gravels are at 
least 50 ft thick, moderately stratified, and have 
high clay contents. 

This creek occupies a steep, narrow rock gorge 
along its upper 2 miles. Alluvial gravels have ac- 
cumulated along the stream course for approx- 
imately 1-1/2 miles prior to its junction with 
Cooper Lake. 

Upper Boulder Creek occupies a moderately 
steep bedrock canyon along its upper section 
before entering an extremely steep, narrow sec- 
lion 2-1/2-miles at)ove its junction with the 
Resurrection River. 1 mile at)Ove the junction, it 
levels out, and alluvial gravels have ac- 
cumulated. Glacial benches are locally present. 



See footnotes at end of table. 



39 



Placer 
number^ 



Deposit 
location^ 



Mineral 

development 

potential 



Workings and 
production^ 



Summary of mineralization 



P-98 



Seward: A-7, A-8, 
B-7; T. 2N, R. 2W 
(SM). 



P-99 



P-100 



P-101 



P-102 



Moderate for 
mechanized 
small mining 
operation, 
but high for 
suction 
dredging. 



Minor prospecting has occurred along the lower 
section of Martin Creek. No known production. 



Seward: A-8; T. 2N, Low 
R. 2W (SM). 



Seward: A-7; T. IN, Low 
R. 2W (SM). 



Seward: A-7, B-7; T. Low 
2N, R. 1W (SM). 



Seward: A-5; sec. Low 
618, T. 2S, R. 6E 
(SM). 



None 



-do 



Several lode prospects and occurrences were 
located. Prospect pits were identified along 
lower section. No reported production. 



No data . 



Upper Martin Creek occupies a moderately steep, 
narrow, shallow bedrock gorge, with small 
amounts of gravel accumulating below plunge 
pools. Middle section, beginning about 1/2 to 
3/4 mile below junction with Mt. Ascension 
tributary, occupies a steep, narrow, deep 
bedrock gorge with numerous falls and little ac- 
cumulation of gravel. Narrow flood plain has 
developed beginning about 1-1/2 mile above its 
junction with the Resurrection River. Coarse 
gold (up to 1/4 in) was recovered in gravels 
resting on and in bedrock fractures located just 
below Mt. Ascension tributary. Significant gold 
was not located elsewhere along drainage. 

Redman Creek occupies a short, narrow, very 
steep bedrock gorge for most of its length. 
Alluvial gravels have accumulated near its junc- 
tion with the Resurrection River. 

Upper Paradise Creek occupies a broad, gentle, 
glaciated U-shaped valley. Middle Paradise 
Creek occupies a very steep bedrock canyon. 
The lower portion for nearly 2 miles above its 
junction with the Resurrection River is braided 
with extensive alluvial gravels. 

Lost Creek occupies a narrow, moderately steep 
bedrock canyon for most of its length. Several 
lode gold occurrences are exposed in the can- 
yon. Little gravel has accumulated except along 
the lower 1/2 mile of the creek. 

Quaternary alluvial sand and gravels consist of 
graywacke with some disseminated pyrite and 
small quartz veins. 



■•Sample name, map location, individual sample data, and gold composition are given in table A-1. 

^information includes quadrangle name from U.S. Geological Survey 1 :63,360-scale quadrangle maps (e.g., Cordova); location on map (e.g., A-2); and sec- 
tion, township, and- range information for the Copper River (CRM) and Seward (SM) meridians. 
^Production figures are estimates only through 1982. 



40 



APPENDIX C— SUMMARY OF PLACER GOLD DEPOSIT TYPES 



The following is a summary of the 5 major types of placer gold deposits found in the Chugach 
National Forest in Alaska. The five major types are alluvial, bench, eluvial, glacial, and marine 
deposits, with alluvial deposits further subdivided by fluvial environment. The following sections 
characterize each deposit type by size, grade, gold characteristics, production history, and future 
potential. 

In these sections, three sizes are described: 

SMALL-<100,000 yd^ 
MEDIUM-100,000-1 million yd^ 
LARGE->1 million yd^ 
In addition, three basic grades are described: 

LOW-<0.005 oz/yd^" Au. 
MEDIUM-0.005-0.02 oz/yd' Au. 
HIGH->0.02 oz/yd^ Au. 

ALLUVIAL PLACERS 

Alluvial placers are gravel deposits resulting from the depositional and sorting processes of 
existing streams. They include gravel bars, channel deposits, floodplain deposits, and alluvial fans. 

Gravel Bars 

Gravel bars contain loose, sandy, moderately sorted gravel; pay streaks are often discontinuous 
and are confined to near-surface accumulations of flood gold.^ 

'Flood gold consists of small «0.04 in diam), very thin flakes that are readily transported by streams during flood condi- 
tions. The gold is commonly deposited near the surface and at the head of gravel bars. Values commonly do not persist at depth. 

Size: SMALL. Typical bars may contain up to 10,000 yd^. 

Grade: LOW to HIGH. Up to 0.14 oz/yd* Au has been recovered from samples. Production 
grades of 0.01 to 0.02 oz/yd' Au have been reported. 

Gold characteristics: Gold is typically fine grained «0.04 in diam) and flaky; it readily floats 
on water. 

Production history: Gravel bars have been mined with small, mechanized equipment on Mills 
(P-63), Canyon (P-67), Sixmile (P-69), Resurrection (P-71), and Crescent (P-90) Creeks. 

Future potential: Deposits have been identified on most streams having previous production 
history and also on the Trail (P-76), Kings (P-80), Snow (P-83), and Kenai (P-93) Rivers. Large 
suction dredges (>8 in) might have success mining these deposits. Highly efficient gold recovery 
techniques will be needed to adequately recover the gold, because of its size and shape. 

Channel Deposits 

Channel deposits are stratified, loose, sandy, actively migrating gravels resting on moderately 
consolidated clay-bearing gravels with angular bedrock fragments and boulders on bedrock. 

Size: VERY SMALL. Deposits are small and discontinous. High-grade pockets typically con- 
tain <100 yd'. 

Grade: HIGH. For suction dredges, production grades of 0.05 to 0.5 oz/yd' Au are not unusual. 

Gold characteristics: Gold is fine-grained near the surface with increasing size and weight 
on bedrock. Coarse flakes and nuggets up to 1/2 oz or more may be recovered within the clayey 
consolidated layer and from bedrock fractures. 

Production history: Suction dredges have been successfully used to mine these deposits on 
Crow (P-43), Bertha (P-56), Mills (P-63), Canyon (P-67), Gulch (P-68), Sixmile (P-69), Resurrection 
(P-71), and Cooper (P-94) Creeks, and several other drainages on the Kenai Peninsula. Recoveries 
of 1/4 oz to several ounces per day have been reported depending upon dredge size, water condi- 
tions, and grade. 

Future potential: Suction dredging will continue on previously mined drainages. Additional 
areas could include the Avery (P-36), Placer (P-59), Trail (P-76), and Kings (P-80) Rivers and Seattle 
(P-49), Falls (P-85), Ship (P-89), Crescent (P-90), and Martin (P-98) Creeks. 



41 



Flood Plain Deposits 

Flood plain deposits tend to consist of poorly sorted, moderately consolidated, stratified gravels 
containing a significant clay-silt matrix resting directly on bedrock or, as at portions of Resur- 
rection Creek (P-71), upon clay hardpan. 

Size: SMALL to LARGE (depending upon drainage). More than 1 million yd^ of gravel occurs 
along the Trail (P-76), Kings (P-80), Snow (P-83), and Kenai (P-93) Rivers and on Crow (P-43), 
Sixmile (P-69), and Resurrection (P-71) Creeks. 

Grade: MEDIUM. These deposits have variable grades; the highest grades occur in previous 
channels. Production grades of 0.008 to 0.02 oz/yd^ Au have been reported. 

Gold characteristics: Grold is mostly fine-grained and flaky with some coarsening to be ex- 
pected on bedrock. Nuggets up to 1/2 oz or more have been recovered from a few streams. 

Production history: A significant portion (approximately 50 pet) of the total placer gold pro- 
duction from the Kenai Peninsula has come from this type of deposit. Mines have been located 
on Crow (P-43), Mills (P-63), Canyon (P-67), Sixmile (P-69), Bear (P-70), Resurrection (P-71), Cres- 
cent (P-90), and other creeks. Historically these deposits were first mined by pick and shovel, 
followed by hydraulic techniques and most recently by mechanized methods. 

Future potential: Continued placer mining can be anticipated on the historically mined 
drainages. New and/or additional operations mining flood plain deposits could be developed upon 
the Avery (P-36), Placer (P-59), Trail (P-76), and Kings (P-80) Rivers and on Billings (P-40) and 
Seattle (P-49) Creeks should gold prices rise significantly. Mining will require using mechanized 
equipment with refined recovery techniques capable of efficiently recovering <60-mesh gold. 

Alluvial Fan Deposits 

Alluvial fans develop where relatively steeply sloping streams suddenly develop more gradual 
gradients. Such deposits on the Kenai Peninsula consist of fanlike patterns of poorly sorted, un- 
consolidated gravels with a moderate to high clay content. 

Size: SMALL to MEDIUM. Typical alluvial fans consist of 250,000 yd^ or less. Larger fans 
containing in excess of 1 million yd^ occur at the mouth of Lynx (P-61), Silvertip (P-62), and Bear 
(P-70) Creeks. 

Grade: LOW to MEDIUM. Production grades of 0.01 to 0.02 oz/yd* Au have been reported 
from Hargood Creek (P-91), but Bureau sampling indicates grades are generally <0.005 oz/yd^ 
Au at most deposits. 

Gold characteristics: (jold is generally fine-grained and flaky with particles >0.08 in rare. 
The gold occurs in distributary channels and is commonly present from surface to bedrock. 

Production history: Limited amounts of gold have been produced from this type of deposit. 
Production has occurred from alluvial fans at Bertha Creek (P-56), and more recently from Hargood 
Creek (P-91). Portions of the bench deposits on Lower Crow Creek (P-43) appear to be alluvial 
fan deposits but have been classified as bench deposits. 

Future potential: Alluvial fans previously mined may be mined in the future. Fans needing 
further evaluation occur on Lynx (P-61), Silvertip (P-62), Bear (P-70), and Ship (P-89) Creeks and 
possibly several other drainages on the Kenai Peninsula. The tendency for gold to occur in chan- 
nels within the fan deposits must be considered for proper evaluation. 

BENCH DEPOSITS 

Bench deposits are deposited by streams at higher elevations within present valleys prior 
to formation of the more deeply eroded active stream channels of today. Some of these deposits, 
which include abandoned channels, were apparently deposited during interglacial periods prior 
to the most recent advance. Gravels tend to be poorly to moderately well stratified, poorly sorted, 
and moderately well consolidated. Benches occur at levels of a few feet to more than 150 ft above 
current streams. Bench gravels are often covered by avalanche debris. 

Size: SMALL to LARGE. Benches containing in excess of 1 million yd^ have been identified 
on several drainages including Canyon (P-67), Sixmile (P-69), and Resurrection (P-71) Creeks. 
Significant 0200,000 yd^) volumes of bench gravel also occur on Crow (P-43), Winner (P-44,) Seattle 
(P-49), Lynx (P-61), Mills (P-63), Quartz (P-74), Hargood (P-91), and Stetson (P-95) Creeks. 

Grade: LOW to HIGH. Bench gravels tend to be lower in grade than many of the adjacent 
alluvial gravels, but have been conducive to mining using relatively high-volume low-cost hydraulic 
methods. Production grades from 0.005 to 0.04 oz/yd^ Au have been reported. Lower grades are 
likely for the bulk of the deposits identified. Samples collected from East Fork (P-53) and Canyon 
(P-67) Creek benches contain from 0.004 to 0.016 oz/yd^ Au. 

Gold characteristics: Gold is generally less than 0.1-in. in diameter and flaky, with local ex- 
ceptions, such as on Crow (P-43) Creek where nuggets up to 1 oz have been recovered. 

Production history: Bench deposits have supplied a significant portion (up to 40 pet) of the 
total placer gold production from the Kenai Peninsula. The majority came fi-om 2 drainages: Crow 



42 



(P-43) Creek and the junction area of Mills (P-63) and Canyon (P-67) Creeks. Additional produc- 
tion has come from East Fork (P-53), Lynx (P-61), Gulch (P-68), Sixmile (P-69), Resurrection (P-71), 
Quartz (P-74), Cooper (P-94), and Stetson (P-95) Creeks. 

Future potential: Future mining of bench deposits may occur on historically mined drainages. 
Hydraulic mining will likely be replaced by mechanized methods for larger deposits. Small high- 
grade deposits may be mined using pumps to supply water. 

ELUVIAL DEPOSITS 

Eluvial deposits are produced by the concentration of heavy minerals due to the winnowing 
action of gravity and downhill creep. They occur as irregular sheets of angular rock fragments 
and soil-mantling hillside slopes below gold-bearing quartz veins. 

Size: No data. 

Grade: LOW. Economic concentrations have not yet been located in the CNF. 

Gold characteristics: Gold is reported to be rough, nuggety, and fine-grained. Coarse gold (X>.1 
in) has not been identified. 

Production history: None. The Grant Lake Development Co. sampled for eluvial placer potential 
below the Case Mine near Grant Lake, but could not identify economic concentrations. 

Future potential: Exploration activity possibly followed by mining, if warranted, might be 
anticipated on slopes below exposed gold-besiring quartz veins such as those occurring on the north 
side of Falls (P-85) Creek, on the steep slopes between Summit and Slate Creeks, the Crow Pass 
area near Girdwood, and along Palmer (P-71) Creek near Hope. 

GLACIAL DEPOSITS 

Glacial deposits consist mostly of till or very poorly washed, largely unstratified gravels con- 
taining abundant clay and angular rock fragments. These deposits often form steep cut banks 
up to 200 ft high where they have been eroded by subsequent stream action, as at the mouths 
of Juneau (P-65) and Palmer (P-71) Creeks. 

Size: SMALL to LARGE. May exceed 1 million yd*, however, volume estimates were not made. 

Grade: LOW. Economic concentrations have not been identified. However, these deposits may 
be a source of gold that can be reworked and concentrated into alluvial placers. 

Gold characteristics: Gold is disseminated throughout these deposits and is best described 
as being of the flour variety (i.e., very fine-grained and thin). 

Production history: Minor production may have come from what are believed to be mostly 
till deposits near the mouth of Juneau (P-65) Creek. Alluvial placers produced below Eireas where 
streams have eroded large recessional moraines, such as at the junctions of Palmer and Resur- 
rection (P-71) and Mills and Canyon (P-67) Creeks, have been previously discussed. 

Future potential: Some potential for exploration or mining of glacial placers may exist along 
portions of Crow (P-43), lower Juneau (P-65), and Palmer (P-71) Creeks. 

MARINE DEPOSITS 

Marine deposits are loose, well-sorted, stratified sands and gravels. 

Size: LARGE. May exceed several million cubic yards. 

Grade: LOW. Samples collected contained from a trace to 0.002 oz/yd* Au. 

Gold characteristics: Gold is very fine-grained and flaky. 

Production history: None. 

Future potential: Large, very low-grade deposits are present at the mouth of the Copper River 
and on some beaches along the northern Prince William Sound coast. These deposits currently 
cannot be mined profitably. 



55S7 37-1 








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